Malaysia records 39 COVID-19 deaths today - Health D-G

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the number, 37 deaths involved citizens and the remaining two were non-citizens, bringing the cumulative death tally due to the virus to 1,761.

"Of the 4,765 new cases, 4,758 are local transmissions and seven imported cases bringing the cumulative number of cases to 453,222," he said in a statement on the development of COVID-19 here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said there were 3,124 recoveries while 469 cases were being treated at the intensive care unit with 244 requiring ventilators.

On the South African COVID-19 variant B.1.351 and Indian variant B.1.617.2., he said 14 new local COVID-19 cases infected with the South African variant were detected in Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan while one imported case infected with the Indian variant was reported to have died.

"This was detected through genomic surveillance conducted by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) on 33 COVID-19 samples from May 3 to May 10.

"To date, the total number of COVID-19 cases infected with the South African B.1.351 variant is 62 cases and the Indian variant B.1.617 is two cases," he added.

He said 20 new clusters were detected today involving 12 workplace clusters, five community clusters and one each for religious clusters, at-risk groups and an education institution registered with the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE).

"The workplace clusters are the Persiaran Tanjung construction site, Batu Arang Junction, Bukit Semenyih 2 construction site, Jalan Emas Industry, Persiaran Masjid Lima in Selangor; Persiaran Satu, Batu Lima construction site and Jalan Segambut Pusat in Kuala Lumpur; Jalan Tembaga Industri and Jalan Gangsa Industri in Johor; Jalan Terbilang in Penang and Telipot in Kelantan," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said, the community clusters detected were Nanga Skrang and Stapok Settlement Scheme in Sarawak; Kampung Tok Sangkut in Kelantan; Kahang Timur in Johor and Tanjung Kapor in Sabah.

"The risk group cluster involves Lorong Taman Ipoh Dua in Perak; the religious cluster involves Jalan Muafakat in Johor and the MOE education cluster in Sabah involves Kebagu," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health reminded the people to continue to comply with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the National Security Council (MKN) as the COVID-19 infection in the community is escalating.

"There are more cases of Variants of Concerns (VOC) being reported in addition to the rise in clusters especially interstate clusters, an increase of up to 70 per cent of sporadic infection cases in the community and an increase of up to 80 per cent of asymptomatic cases is worrying.

"The community should take heed and avoid being infected with this dangerous COVID-19 virus," he added.

MOH also wished all the nurses in the country a Happy Nurses Day, thanking them for their contributions and sacrifices especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.