KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) — The number of COVID-19 positive cases today returned to double digits with 16 new cases, namely 12 local transmissions and four imported cases.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this brought the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in Malaysia to 9,235 and the number of active cases to 185.
He said all seven new cases involved three local cases in Kedah, namely two from the Sala Cluster and one from the Tawar Cluster.
“Meanwhile, Penang had four cases from the Tawar Cluster and one case was detected in Johor, namely through testing at a ship sign-on and the patient has been admitted to Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital,” he said in a media statement on the development of COVID-19 today.
Dr Noor Hisham said the 23 patients who have recovered brought the cumulative number of fully recovered cases to 8,925 or 96.6 per cent of the total number of cases.
Meanwhile, up to now, there are seven positive cases being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with three cases requiring respiratory support.
With no new deaths, the toll remains at 125 or 1.35 per cent of the total number of cases.
Commenting on the development of the Tawar Cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said eight new cases were reported today involving four cases in Kedah and four in Penang.
This has brought the number of positive cases in this cluster to 55, and that as of today 1,910 people had been screened in this cluster.
He explained that in Kedah, of the 1,560 individuals screened, 44 individuals tested positive, 1,173 tested negative while 343 individuals were still waiting for the results.
In Penang 341 people were screened, 11 tested positive, 316 tested negative and 14 individuals are still awaiting results. While in Perak, all nine individuals screened tested negative (last screening on Aug 17, 2020).
As for the Sala Cluster, three new cases were reported in Kedah bringing the total number of positive cases to 11.
“Some 668 people had been screened until noon today, with 662 individuals in Kedah and the remaining six in Penang in this cluster,” he said.
In Kedah, 11 cases were detected positive, 494 tested negative and 157 individuals were still awaiting results. In Penang, the six individuals screened all tested negative, he added.
Active Case Detection and close contact screening for both clusters are still ongoing. The current situation will be informed from time to time,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also advised Muslims who will celebrate Awal Muharam and Maal Hijrah tomorrow, to avoid mass gatherings in conjunction with the festive day.
“This includes inter-state travel as well as plans to hold recreational activities with the family,” he said.
He also reiterated that the public should always adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) while adopting to the new norms and habits in all activities to be carried out
— SD BERNAMA