MALAYSIA today reported its first Covid-19 death in almost a month, bringing the death toll from the coronavirus to 126, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

The deceased was a 75-year-old man who had a history of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

The man with no history of travelling abroad was admitted to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Kedah on August 7 after experiencing cough and difficulty in breathing and was discharged on August 18.

He was once again admitted to the same hospital on August 24 after a relapse of symptoms. 

“A Covid-19 test showed he was positive. His condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead on August 29 at 5.10pm,” Noor Hisham said in a statement today. 

The last time a Covid-19 fatality was reported in Malaysia was on July 31.

Meanwhile, there were 17 new Covid-19 cases reported as of noon today, of which only two were locally transmitted. 

The fresh cases bring the national toll of infections to 9,334. 

Two of the locally transmitted cases were detected during a screening of close contacts in Kedah and Selangor. Both cases involved citizens. 

The remaining 15 cases reported today were imported. 

Ten people were discharged from the hospital in the past 24 hours after recovering from the coronavirus.

This brings the total number of recoveries to 9,048. 

Active cases stood at 160. 

Seven patients are currently warded in intensive care units, of whom five require respiratory support. – August 30, 2020.