COVID-19: Nine new cases, six more patients discharged

Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah

PUTRAJAYA, March 12 -- Nine new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported today, bringing the total in the country to 158, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said six more positive cases had recovered, raising to 32 the number who have been discharged from hospital.

"At the moment, three cases are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit and require breathing aid, and they are in stable condition,” he said in a statement today.

He said the Health Ministry took note of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) statement that COVID-19 had spread to 114 countries and had reached pandemic level.

WHO has declared COVID-19 as pandemic based on its rapid spread in many places outside of China, where the virus first surfaced in December last year.

"WHO has also said that prevention and control measures being taken now are still relevant and proposed that they be intensified.

"With the announcement by WHO, the ministry will continue to ensure that COVID-19 control and prevention measures which have been implemented will be reviewed according to the current situation in the country and be stepped up,” he added.

Meanwhile, when speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of the COVID-19 Working Committee chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, Dr Noor Hisham said Malaysia had not detected any sporadic case of COVID-19.

He said earlier reports saying Case 131 was sporadic were wrong because further investigations by the ministry found that the patient was a participant of the tabligh assembly held at Masjid Seri Petaling from Feb 27 to March 1.

Dr Noor Hisham also said the ministry was prepared to disclose the number of COVID-19 positive cases according to states.

"Let us do the analysis first...(It) can be revealed. I don't think states got much issue (because we reveal the name of) public hospitals (which have positive COVID-19 cases). I think let us do the analysis before we reveal," he said, adding that the majority of cases from the second wave were in the KIang Valley.

-- BERNAMA