COVID-19 weekly round-up: Recovery rate exceeds 80 per cent

The daily new infections reported this week mainly involved non-Malaysians and imported cases.

Out of the 31 new cases reported over the 24-hour period up to noon yesterday, 11 were imported involving Malaysian students returning from Egypt while the remaining 20 were local transmissions comprising 19 non-citizens and a Malaysian.

Out of the 31 new cases reported over the 24-period up to noon yesterday, 11 were imported cases involving Malaysian students returning from Egypt and the remaining 20 were local transmissions comprising 19 non-citizens and a Malaysian.

At his daily press conference yesterday, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the 11 students were tested positive for COVID-19 after a second sample was taken from them.

He said between April 3 and June 11, a total of 566 Malaysian returnees from abroad were confirmed COVID-19 positive.

He also said that Malaysia will only declare itself COVID-19 free after recording zero infection for 28 days straight.

As of noon yesterday, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia stood at 8,369. Fifty-one patients were discharged, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 7,065 or 84.4 per cent of total cases. On Tuesday, 281 patients were discharged – the highest number of recoveries recorded in a single day.

The number of COVID-19 active cases now stood at 1,186. Only five patients are in intensive care units with none requiring ventilators. The death toll remained at 118 as no fatality was reported yesterday.

For the record, the nation recorded single-digit new cases over three days this week – seven on Monday, seven on Tuesday and two on Wednesday.

In a special live televised address on June 7, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), which will replace the Conditional MCO (May 4-June 9).

Dr Noor Hisham has said that Malaysia has now entered the recovery phase and RMCO will allow the nation to prepare itself for the COVID-19 exit strategy.

Pointing out that the RMCO period will be a true test of the level of social responsibility and self-discipline among the people, he hoped it would succeed in breaking the chain of infection.

Most activities in the economic, social, education and religious sectors have been given the green light to resume fully under RMCO, subject to compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government.

Reiterating that the public should abide by the conditions set under RMCO, Dr Noor Hisham said people in high-risk categories such as babies, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities must be protected, and social distancing must be observed.

He said the RMCO will only be a success if all parties comply with the SOPs and if there is community involvement in observing the new normal as a way of life.

“We have to protect our own selves, our families, our community and our nation. If we don’t, who will,” he said.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, meanwhile, told a press conference on Wednesday that the army will continue to help the police to conduct operations to monitor SOP-compliance.

Also involved in the operations are RELA members, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and local authorities.

As interstate travel is allowed under RMCO, their operations will shift from highway checks to monitoring business premises such as wet markets and night markets.