.jpg "A Giant hypermarket staff screens members of the public on day nine of the movement control order in Kuala Lumpur March 26, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Firdaus Latif")
PUTRAJAYA, March 26 — Malaysia reported a total of 2,031 Covid-19 infection cases today, including 235 new cases which is now the country’s highest daily rise so far.
Four deaths were also reported today, making the total 23. The mortality rate, however, remains low at 1.1 per cent, Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.
“Most patients will likely be cured so if we look at the fatality rate, it’s 1.1 per cent when globally, it’s 4.5 per cent, so more than 80 per cent can be cured,” he said at today’s media briefing.
Out of the 235 new cases, 60 of them are related to the Sri Petaling tabligh event held earlier this month while while the remaining 175 cases are still in investigation and may be related to other clusters.
The previous highest number of new cases reported in a day was previously 212, on March 23.
Malaysia had hit the 1,000 cases mark roughly one week ago.
So far, the youngest person who contracted the virus in Malaysia is 12 days old, followed by a four-year-old, while the oldest is 83-years old.
Three of the four recent deaths were of those who had attended the Sri Petaling tabligh from February 27 to March 3.
Death #20 was a 76-year-old from Kelantan who died at the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital at 4.35pm yesterday after being warded since March 18.
Death #21 was a 63-year-old man who had been warded at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Kedah since March 23 and died today at 4am.
Death #22 was a 48-year-old who had a history of chronic illnesses and attended the tabligh event, as well as having close contact with another Covid-19 patient who also attended the same tabligh. He was treated at Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital, Johor and died on March 23, at 8.15pm.
Death #23 was a 62-year-old from Kajang who had been suffering from chronic illnesses and was treated at the Raja Perempuan Bainun Hospital, Ipoh since March 23 and died yesterday at 12.37pm. The source of his infection is still being investigated to see whether it is related to any cluster.
Currently, the ministry is treating 45 positive cases in the ICU. Of them, 32 of them require breathing assistance.
“Most of the cases will recover. Sometimes it takes 10 days, 12 days, or up to 2 weeks but we promise to provide the best service we can and will not discharge them till they test negative twice, within the span of 24 hours,” said Dr Noor Hisham.
