PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has seen its biggest increase in Covid-19 cases with 235 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,031.
The death rate is now 23 after four more fatalities were reported.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said based on initial investigations, 60 of the new cases reported were linked to the tabligh gathering at Masjid Jamek, Sri Petaling.
The bulk of the Covid-19 cases recorded in the country have been from the tabligh cluster.
Dr Noor Hisham said 16 patients were discharged yesterday, raising the total recoveries to 215.
He said 45 cases were being treated in intensive care, with 32 of these needing ventilators.
He said the 20th death involved patient 780, a 76-year-old Malaysian from the tabligh cluster.
“He was treated at the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital in Kelantan from March 18 and died on March 25, ” Dr Noor Hisham told a press conference yesterday.
The 21st death involved patient 1,588, a 63-year-old Malaysian man from the tabligh cluster who was treated on March 23 and died yesterday.
The 22nd death involved patient 1,797, a 48-year-old Malaysian also from the tabligh cluster.
“He also had close contact with a Covid-19 positive patient who attended the same event, ” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said patient 1,797 died on March 23, while the 23rd fatality involved patient 1,840, a 62-year-old with a history of chronic back pain.
He said that patient 1,840 was treated at the Raja Perempuan Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, Perak, on March 23 and he died on March 25.
“His case is still being investigated for any connection with a Covid-19 cluster, ” he added.
Dr Noor Hisham said 80 health ministry staff members were tested positive for Covid-19.
He said 1,895 frontline workers were screened for the virus with no one testing positive yet while 708 results were yet to be confirmed.
