Smokers at high risk or worse complications if infected by COVID-19

This follows an analysis done by the Health Ministry that the number of deaths from COVID-19 among smokers was higher than among non-smokers, at 17.6 per cent compared to 12.1 per cent.

So this is one more reason for smokers to snuff out the habit, and practice a healthy diet, for their own sakes as well as those around them.

Long before the COVID-19 emerged, smoking has been proven to be a major factor contributing to many diseases, destroying the lungs and generally weakening the human immunity system. Yet smokers continue to puff their health away.

Smoking also increases a person's vulnerability to bacterial and viral infections, and now, in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the choice really lies with the smokers themselves.

In a recent statement, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that smokers are at high risk of worse complications if infected by COVID-19.

Meanwhile, during the almost-three months that the country has been under the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Conditional MCO (CMCO), singles are among the people who are worst hit as they are unable to be with their beloved families in their hometowns.

With this in mind, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged them to be patient as the government was still discussing the permission to allow them to travel across states to be with their families.

He said the government's objective of imposing the CMCO was not to inconvenience the people but was for their own safety so that the chain of COVID-19 infections in the country could be broken.

According to the info graphics from the Health Ministry's National Crisis Preparedness and Emergency Response Centre (CPRC) yesterday, only four states were in the green zone, namely Terengganu, Perlis, Penang and Labuan Federal Territory.

As of midnight, the country had 57 reported positive COVID-19 cases, with 43 involving foreigners, 10 imported cases of infections from overseas and only four locally-transmitted cases involving Malaysians.