New COVID-19 cases up 119 pct last week

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of new COVID-19 cases in the country for the 19th epidemiological week (ME) this year (May 8 to May 14) increased by 119.2 per cent to 19,137 cases compared to 8,732 cases in ME18.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the development took COVID-19 case tally in Malaysia to 4,475,873 with 29,762 active cases currently.

He said in line with the increase in daily cases in ME 19, the average infectivity rate also showed an increase of 70.2 per cent, reaching 0.97 compared to 0.57 in ME18.

The number of recovered cases in ME19 decreased by 59.2 percent or 30,930 cases to 12,618 cases, compared to in ME18 with cumulative recoveries now standing at 4,410,499.

"Fatalities in ME19 showed a slight increase of 3.1 percent, from 32 cases in ME18 to 33 cases, thus bringing the death toll to 35,612," he said in a statement today.

COVID-NOOR HISHAM (CASES) 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 patient admissions to health facilities, public hospitals and COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC) per 100,000 population also increased by 38 per cent in ME19 compared ME18.

"The admission of COVID-19 patients to public hospitals for every 100,000 residents has also increased by 100 percent involving all categories of patients.

"Overall, the percentage of PKRC bed usage increased by 100 per cent, non-critical bed usage was up by 18 per cent while Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed occupancy decreased by 10 per cent," he added.

-- BERNAMA