By Xavier Kong
HEALTH director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said a majority of the new cases today were imported ones, from Malaysians returning to the country.
Of the 38 new cases today, 20 Malaysian were from Egypt, four from Indonesia and two from the UK. Of the remaining 12, six cases are non-Malaysians.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 7,857, with 1,338 active transmission cases. Of these, eight are in intensive care units, with two requiring ventilator support, while 51 new recoveries were reported today, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 6,404.
No deaths were reported, leaving the death toll at 115.
Dr Noor Hisham noted that while the total rate of Malaysians being infected is within the expectations of the modelling done, the total number of confirmed cases, with the addition of the imported and non-Malaysian cases, takes the graph outside the expected trend.
On whether the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) will be extended, Dr Noor Hisham said the Ministry of Health is monitoring the situation. On one hand, taking only local transmission cases involving Malaysians into account, the numbers show that Malaysians have been adhering to the MCO and the CMCO.
However, by adding the number of imported cases and non-Malaysians, the graph shows increasing numbers, as though Malaysians have not been following the MCO and CMCO.
“However, now we have to focus on the migrant workers, as they are part of our community as well,” said Dr Noor Hisham, adding that efforts need to be stepped up to ensure that they adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP).
“This includes practising safe social distancing, especially in their accommodations, maintaining good personal hygiene, and other daily practices to break the chain of infection,” he said.
On childcare centres, he noted that the SOP for this will be decided tomorrow and will take into account the issues raised regarding the children of frontline healthcare workers.
A particular option being considered is to have childcare centres operate in shifts, with another being improving the childcare options available at hospitals for healthcare workers. – June 1, 2020, Bernama
