NO Covid-19 cases have been detected among flood victims at relief centres since November 19, Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

He said, however, 14 Covid-19 cases were detected during the November 11-18 period but the victims had all completed their period of self-isolation and returned home.

“Monitoring of cases of infectious diseases began on November 11 when several episodes of floods occurred. Cumulatively, 12 cases of acute gastroentritis, 207 cases of acute respiratory infection, eight cases of conjunctivitis and 134 cases of skin infection were detected among flood victims at temporary relief centres.

“No cases of typhoid, cholera, leptospirosis, hand foot mouth disease and dengue have been reported among flood victims so far,” he said in a statement today.

As at 9am today, five states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Johor – have been hit by floods, forcing the evacuation of victims to 29 relief centres: five in Kelantan, Terengganu (11), Pahang (11), Perak (1) and Johor (1).

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said new Covid-19 cases in the 49th Epidemiological Week (EW 49/2022) from December 4 to 10 dropped by 24.9% to 10,937 cases from 14,558 cases in the previous week.

He said local cases dropped by 24.9% from 14,543 cases to 10,923 cases, imported cases dropped from 15 to 14 while deaths dropped by 30.6% (62 cases to 43 cases) in EW 49/2022.

The Health Ministry also announced today that the national Rt value, or effective reproduction number, in EW 49/2022 was 0.86. – Bernama, December 12, 2022.