SIX new cases of Covid-19 infections in Malaysia were reported today, bringing the total number of positive cases in the country to 99, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The Health director-general said all the identified patients are currently undergoing treatment.

“All the new cases recorded today are due to close contact with case No. 26… All of the new cases were detected during contact tracing and were admitted to hospital for isolation and further treatment,” he said in a statement today.

He said contact tracing will continue until the source of the transmission is confirmed.

Dr Noor Hisham said patient No. 41, who tested positive for Covid-19, had recovered and was discharged from Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

He said the patient was the 24th patient to be successfully treated and discharged by local medical facilities.

Dr Noor Hisham  said the Health Ministry was also conducting Covid-19 surveillance to detect sporadic and local cases in Malaysia through patients with influenza-like-illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), who have had no history of travelling to countries affected by the Covid-19 outbreak or contact with Covid-19 positive cases.

As of today, he said, 567 samples have been tested, with no samples positive for the Covid-19 infection. No Covid-19 sporadic cases have been detected through this surveillance activity, he added.

However, he reminded individuals ordered to undergo home quarantine to comply with the rules of the Order for Supervision and Observation at Home.

The public, he said, should also avoid going to crowded places and to keep at least 1m away from other individuals.

They should also not disseminate unverified news or information related to the outbreak, such as about places purportedly infected by the virus, he added. 

Dr Noor Hisham said the public should maintain a high level of hygiene, such as by washing their hands with water and soap, or using hand sanitizer often.

They are also advised to postpone their travel abroad, especially to regions or cities declared Covid-19 outbreak areas. – March 8, 2020.