Most govt and private hospitals, as well as PKRCs nationwide, near maximum capacity

by NUR HAZIQAH A MALEK / pic by TMR FILE

MALAYSIA recorded the highest number of Covid-19 fatalities yesterday at 47.

The deaths were from Selangor with 18 cases; Sarawak and Penang with five deaths each; four each from Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan; three from Perak; two from Pahang and one each from Kedah and Negri Sembilan.

Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (picture) also announced 4,865 new Covid-19 positive cases yesterday, comprising 4,860 local cases and five imported cases.

“This brings the current active cases to 44,827 out of which, 531 were admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU) and 277 require ventilator aid,” he said in his statement yesterday.

He said the virality of new Covid-19 variants are concerning as of late and the Health Ministry predicted that there will be an uptrend of daily cases, much like in other countries, due to the variants of concern being associated with a much faster rate of infectivity and fatality.

“Most government and private hospitals, as well as Low Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRCs) nationwide, are almost reaching their maximum capacity,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

He added that it is worrying that more and more positive cases are requiring treatment in the ICU and respiratory support in recent weeks, while daily fatalities are also increasing.

In addition, 19 new clusters have been identified, while 1,423 clusters have been considered as expired, bringing the current active clusters to 497.

There were 3,497 recoveries yesterday, which brought the current recovery rate stand to 90.2%.

Meanwhile, 514 individuals were detained on Monday for breaching the Movement Control Order (MCO).

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said out of the total, 503 individuals were compounded, while 11 were remanded for not wearing face masks (147) and failure to record their personal details (127).

Other offences included failure to comply with physical distance (62) and cars carrying more than allowed passengers (13).

The National Security Council has implemented the Enhanced MCO (EMCO) in a few areas, namely Rumah Panjang Wun Ak Ering and SK Bakerkong in Tanjung Manis, Mukah, Sarawak.

Five positive cases were recorded in the past four days within the locality and following the risk assessment, the EMCO will be in place from tomorrow until June 2.

Mukim Pelagat in Besut, Terengganu, will also undergo the EMCO, involving 13 villages in the area.

As of Monday, 199 positive cases were recorded in all of the localities involved, and the visible uptrend makes it necessary to implement the EMCO from May 20 until June 2.