by S BIRRUNTHA/ pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

AFTER recording 127 recoveries yesterday, the current active Covid-19 cases in Malaysia are at 408, a huge improvement from the 1,115 cases just a week ago.

Health DG Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (picture) said Malaysia’s Covid-19 recovery rate is now at 93.8% out of the total number of positive cases.

“A total of 8,000 Covid-19 patients in the country have been cured and discharged so far,” he said in a statement yesterday.

As of noon yesterday, there were 14 new Covid-19 cases involving seven foreigners, four locals and three imported cases.

Of the seven locally transmitted cases among foreigners, two cases were linked to a close contact of a case in Kuala Lumpur; two were detected during a screening at a construction site in Sarawak; one was linked to a close contact case in Selangor; one was a detainee from Penampang police headquarters in Sabah; and one was found in Perak during screening before applying to return to his home country.

Meanwhile, among the four local cases involving Malaysians, two cases were from the staff working at the Bukit Jalil detention centre.

Two others which were detected in Sarawak were from a pre-surgical screening at the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching; and a person who was tested prior to flying overseas for an urgent matter.

The three import cases yesterday involved two Malaysians and one permanent resident. Among the active cases yesterday, four were placed in the intensive care unit and none of them required respiratory aid.

The increase in new cases brings yesterday brought the country’s overall total to 8,529.

No new deaths were recorded yesterday as the country’s death tally stood at 121. Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said the latest Covid-19 screenings among undocumented foreigners held at detention depots have revealed 782 positive cases.

He added that of the 782 cases, seven were traced among Malaysians, while the rest were among non-Malaysians.

“As of 12pm yesterday, approximately 13,149 individuals have undergone screening for Covid-19. Of this number, 11,564 were tested negative and 803 are still awaiting results,” he said.

The highest recorded number of positive cases among the undocumented foreigners according to territories and state are Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 651 cases, followed by Selangor (126).

Selangor also recorded the highest number of samples taken with 5,910 of which 4,453 samples came back as negative.

Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya recorded 1,977 of samples taken and 1,317 negative returns, respectively.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry’s targeted approach requires all detainees at depots to undergo sampling, including for those who are to be transferred to other depots.

“Detainees set to be deported to their countries of origin will be sampled, as well as all personnel on duty at the depots.

“Random sampling for risk assessment by the respective district or state health departments is also being done,” he added.