KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — Health authorities today reported only 54 new Covid-19 infections, the lowest-ever daily increase since the Movement Control Order (MCO) began a month ago on March 18.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, however, urged Malaysians not to take the partial lockdown lightly amid the reduction of Covid-19 cases the past few days.
“MOH is concerned if the reduction of cases the past few days is misunderstood and causes the public to take lightly the Movement Control Order because they believe that the outbreak is almost over,” he said in a statement.
Malaysia yesterday reported 69 new Covid-19 cases, and 85 new infections on April 15.
Two new coronavirus-related deaths were reported today, leading to a total of 88 fatalities, with a 1.66 per cent mortality rate.
A total of 135 new recoveries were reported today, exceeding the number of 54 new infections. A total of 3,102 people have recovered from Covid-19 and discharged from hospital.
The total Covid-19 cases in Malaysia is 5,305, while the total active infectious cases are 2,115 cases.
Dr Noor Hisham also raised the possibility of discharged Covid-19 patients getting reinfected with the virus, based on MOH data.
“Sometimes they thought they have immunity and go out to public, in the community, but they can be infected again. Although they have antibody, the antibody is not protective.”
Three Covid-19 patients in Malaysia were also found to test positive for coronavirus again after they were discharged from hospital, which the Health DG attributed to residual virus shedding.
