COVID-19: No deaths for 22 straight days – Health DG

by BERNAMA / pic by BERNAMA

MALAYSIA has remained firmly on track in its fight against COVID-19 by going 22 consecutive days without registering any deaths since June 15, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (picture).

He said the death toll remains at 121, or 1.39 per cent of the total number of positive cases.

Five new cases were reported today, bringing the cumulative figure to 8,668, with 71 active cases, he added.

“Three of the five new cases are imported cases who were infected overseas, involving two Malaysians and one non-citizen (permanent resident), while the other two cases are local transmissions,” he said at a COVID-19 news conference here today.

On the two local transmission cases, he said one was a foreigner who was detected during community screening by the District Health Office in Kuala Lumpur.

The other case involved a Malaysian who was detected during close contact screening of a positive case (Case 8,649), he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said only two COVID-19 patients were being treated in the intensive care unit and both required ventilator support.

He said 11 cases had recovered and were discharged today, bringing the cumulative figure for recoveries to 8,476, or 97.8 per cent of the total number of cases.

A total of 414 of the 5,804 individuals under the home surveillance order (HSO) have yet to undergo their COVID-19 tests on the 13th day of quarantine, he said.

He said the Health Ministry (MOH) would like to thank returnees to Malaysia for their cooperation, including by going for the tests at government or private clinics on the 13th day of their home quarantine.

“MOH would also like to express its appreciation to the District Health Office and police for their cooperation in tracing individuals who need to do the 13th-day tests,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham reminded Malaysians to remain vigilant, pointing out that Victoria in Australia had announced the closure of 55 entry points at its border with New South Wales after a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

“This came in the wake of fresh infections in several major towns, and one of the factors was the breach of the SOP (standard operating procedure) by residents who were placed at quarantine centres on their return from overseas,” he added.