Pre-Endemic day 49: Covid-19 new cases at 2,124

PUTRAJAYA, 20 May 2022:

New Covid-19 daily reported cases stayed above the 2,000 mark for the second straight day as the latest 24 hours under review saw a further rise to 2,124 persons testing positive, inclusive of an imported case, as the overall tally rose to 4,485,419 infections.

This latest figure is a relief from the warning issued by Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah of a spike in positive Covid-19 cases after the Aidilfitri celebration, with a majority of cases anticipated to be in categories one and two of no or mild symptoms, due to mass vaccinations already conducted among the populace.

His latest tweet warned that the infectivity rate (Rt) still remains worrying at an average 0.97 across Malaysia – meaning an infected person can still spread the virus to another person – and advised continued personal vigilance of using facemasks, practising hygiene and social distancing.

A fortnight into Syawal, Selangor (892) reported the highest daily figure, ahead of Kuala Lumpur (411), Perak (125), Penang (114) and Melaka (111).

Double digits were charted in Negeri Sembilan (98), Kedah (70), Johor (62), Sarawak (58), Sabah (56), Putrajaya (46), Pahang (40), Kelantan (17) and Terengganu (11). Single digits were recorded only in Labuan (7) and Perlis (6).

The 2,303 discharges just outpaced new cases again as total recoveries rose to 4,419,997 (98.5%) as active cases fell by 182 to 29,789 – with 28,569 (95.9%) in home quarantine, just 20 at Low-Risk Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC) and 1,165 (3.9%) hospitalised.

Numbers at intensive care units have steadied at 35 Covid-19 patients and 22 needing breathing aids.

The grim statistic of lives lost to Covid-19 added another three confirmed fatalities to raise the death toll to 35,633 with another two brought-in-dead cases to bring this subtotal to 7,550 casualties. The backlog of around a week for Covid-19 death confirmations is due to testing priority given to healing the living.

Active clusters fell to 39 out of 7,010 identified todate, with no new clusters added since May 11.