PUTRAJAYA, 1 April 2020:
A total of 142 new positive Covid-19 cases were recorded in the country as at noon today, bringing the total to 2,908.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said two more deaths due to the disease were recorded today, which brings the total number of fatalities to 45 or 1.55% of the total cases.
He said 102 Covid-19 positive cases were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit, with 66 cases requiring ventilators to aid with breathing.
A total of 108 Covid-19 patients have fully recovered from the virus today – which saw the highest number of recovered and discharged patients in a day.
Dr Noor Hisham said the total recovered cases in the country stands at 645. The number of patients who recover increases every day throughout the week and the daily new cases showed a flattening curve.
The first phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO), implemented from March 18 to yesterday, has shown signs of early success in efforts to control and flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic, he explained.
Although there were surges in the number of cases, he said they were mainly due to the Health Ministry’s action in carrying out screening actively.
Referring to the Covid-19 graph in Malaysia, he said the red line as projected by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) showed the number of cases was expected to increase in the first phase of the MCO.
“The blue line refers to the cases recorded by the ministry. This shows that the blue line is beginning to plateau or the curve is flattening.”
He said the time taken by a person who was positive for Covid-19 to recover was between one and two weeks. “Sometimes they have no symptoms but they are still positive. We have to wait until the tests turn out negative twice, more than 24 hours, before we can discharge.”
He said the Health Ministry (MoH) has found the Covid-19 cases detected at the Menara City One condominium tower in Kuala Lumpur are linked to the Sri Petaling mosque tabligh cluster.
Dr Noor Hisham said the index case at the building had attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling mosque.
“The index case then went on to infect 12 members of his family in the building.
“The number of cases rose drastically after that, up to 17 cases, which led to the building being subjected to the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).”
The government enforced the EMCO on Menara City One, located in Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kuala Lumpur until April 13. Dr Noor Hisham said MoH staff had been screening every unit at the condominium tower since Monday.
Asked if people can go back to their hometowns during the coming Hari Raya period, Dr Noor Hisham said it was still too early to decide as it would depend on whether the outbreak was under control or not.
“But we can see from the graph now that there are early signs that it can be contained. So, in the next two weeks, we must all intensify our practices of washing our hands and social distancing. Most importantly, change our behaviour and we can change the trend.”
Commenting on whether there was a need for bazaar Ramadan this year, he said the ministry welcomed ideas and innovations from the public for consideration.
“This is the time for us to implement innovative ideas, like for example e-bazaar, online bazaar or drive-thru bazaar. We welcome new ideas as we want to avoid huge gatherings.”
In JOHOR BAHRU, the remaining 866 participants of the Sri Petaling mosque Tabligh gathering from Johor who have yet to come forward for health screening have been warned they face strict action by the authorities.
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 2,086 participants from Johor were identified to have attended the gathering and from those, 1,220 of them had undergone screenings in hospitals.
“We have identified (the remaining 866) and we will be calling them. If they still not do want to come forward for screening, we will take strict action as we have given time numerous warnings.
“No more deadlines for them. We will contact them and persuade them to present themselves (for screening),” he told reporters at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters here today.
In a related development, he said 73 participants of the Ijtima of Asia 2020 tabligh gathering in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have re-entered Johor via the Stulang Laut and Puteri Harbour ferry terminals since March 23.
Ayob Khan said all of them were now undergoing a 14-day quarantine at home.
– Bernama
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