PUTRAJAYA:Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah denied that the Ministry of Health (MOH) manipulated the COVID-19 pandemic data reported.

He said the COVID-19 data were collected by MOH until 12 noon every day using the public health information system in each state.

"It is not done by me alone but together with the team behind the scene from day one (COVID-19 case).

''Let's not only accept the data when zero (COVID-10 case) is recorded. But there are parties who do not accept the data when 1,000 cases are recorded,'' he said when answering a reporter's question at the media conference on the latest development of COVID-19, here, today.

Dr Noor Hisham said discussions were also held in determining the cluster of a case.

Malaysia today recorded 1,240 new COVID-19 positive cases, the highest number since the pandemic began in the country.

This was the second time Malaysia had recorded new positive cases touching four figures after recording 1,228 new cases last Saturday.

Meanwhile Dr Noor Hisham said the press conference on the development of COVID-19 was cancelled at the last minute yesterday because he was asked to table the latest COVID-19 situation at the Special Discussion of the Malay Rulers which took place at Istana Negara.

"I shared the journey of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) (in dealing with COVID-19) from December, until to date, the latest developments of COVID-19 and tasks in the field," he said.

Yesterday, Noor Hisham's press conference which was scheduled for 5.30 pm was cancelled at about 3.45 pm.

Dr Noor Hisham said, in yesterday's presentation, he also informed about MOH's expectation that the COVID-19 situation was expected to be able to be controlled in three to four weeks.

He said during the presentation session, MOH was also asked about (COVID-19) vaccines and he informed that currently there were nine studies on vaccines but MOH had yet to receive a complete report, he said.

-- BERNAMA