No COVID-19 cases among flood victims since Nov 19 - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: No COVID-19 cases have been detected among flood victims at relief centres (PPS) since Nov 19, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said, however, 14 COVID-19 cases were detected during the Nov 11-18 period but the victims had all completed their isolation and returned home.

"Monitoring of cases of infectious diseases began on Nov 11 when several episodes of floods occurred. Cumulatively, 12 cases of acute gastroentritis (AGE), 207 cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI), eight case of conjunctivitis and 134 cases of skin infection were detected among flood victims at PPS.

"No cases of typhoid, cholera, leptospirosis, hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) and dengue have been reported among flood victims so far," he said in a statement today.

As at 9 am today, five states - Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Johor - have been hit by floods, forcing the evacuation of victims to 29 PPS - five in Kelantan, Terengganu (11), Pahang (11), Perak (one) and Johor (one).

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said new COVID-19 cases in the 49th Epidemiological Week (ME 49/2022) from Dec 4-10 dropped by 24.9 per cent to 10,937 cases from 14,558 cases in the previous week.

He said local cases dropped by 24.9 per cent from 14,543 cases to 10,923 cases, imported cases dropped from 15 to 14 while deaths dropped by 30.6 per cent (62 cases to 43 cases) in ME 49/2022.

The Ministry of Health also announced today that the national Rt value, or effective reproduction number, in ME 49/2022 was 0.86.

-- BERNAMA