Covid-19: 125 new cases recorded, bringing total number to 553 (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has recorded 125 new cases of Covid-19 in Malaysia, bringing the total number of cases to 553 so far.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said based on early investigation, 95 out of the 125 cases were linked to the recent tabligh programme at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling.

The majority of the 125 confirmed cases are currently centred in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Johor, he added.

“We have now entered the late containment stage. In the late containment stage, the purpose now is to control the transmission of Covid-19 from becoming even more serious in the country, ” he said during a press conference on Monday (March 16).

He said that the ministry was also in preparations to enter the mitigation phase.

Among the steps that the ministry has taken so far is by converting the Sungai Buloh Hospital into an admission hospital for Covid-19 positive cases.

The ministry will increase the capacity and the capability of its laboratories to screen for the virus. It will also identify the quarantine places throughout the country and work with NGOs and private facilities to manage Covid-19 cases.

Dr Adham added the ministry has 926 medical ventilators including 152 non-invasive ventilators and 142 transport ventilators.

He said orders for another 800 ventilators would also be made.

Dr Adham noted that 12 Covid-19 cases are being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and are on ventilators.

A total of 42 patients have been discharged.

He added that the country was also in need of more epidemiologists, while assistance from China is also being sought as the country had the knowledge in tackling the virus.