COVID-19: Case of SARI infection declines - Dr Noor Hisham

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced a decline in COVID-19 positive cases among patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) in the country.

According to Director-General of Health, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, as of the 18th epidemiological week, 9,010 samples have been collected involving Influenza (ILI) patients and SARI infections.

Of the total, 81 samples were positive COVID-19.

“For ILI patients, 14 positive COVID-19 cases were detected from 1,594 samples (0.94 percent), while SARI patients, 67 positive COVID-19 cases were detected from 7,416 samples (0.9 percent).

“Overall, there was a decrease in COVID-19 positive cases detected in SARI patients.

"By contrast, in the 13th week of the epidemic, positive rates were 8.7 per cent, of which 25 were detected from 288 SARI samples, whereas, during the 18th epidemic, positive rates were 0.13 per cent, one case out of 772 SARI samples,” he said at a daily press conference, here on Tuesday.

Therefore, he said the MOH would continue to intensify its surplus (surveillance) activities despite the decline in COVID-19 cases among the group of patients.

"The positive rate detected through the surplus activity is declining and remains low for now.

"However, the MOH urged the public not to be complacent with this decline," he said.