KUALA LUMPUR, August 6 — About 80 per cent of brought-in-dead (BID) cases recorded nationwide in the past two weeks were not diagnosed with Covid-19 before they succumbed to the virus, said Greater Klang Valley Special Task Force (GKVSTF) commander Dr Chong Chee Keong.
He told a media briefing today that this group either had no access to diagnosis or, for reasons of their own, were not coming forward to be tested. “And we found that a big proportion of them are non-Malaysians.”
The remaining 20 per cent of BID cases were diagnosed positive for Covid-19 and were told to self-isolate at home, presumably because they were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. However, as their conditions deteriorated, some came in too late for treatment while others failed to arrive at hospitals altogether, Dr Chong said.
The past two epidemiological weeks from July 16 to July 31 reported a total of 258 BID cases or an average of 129 cases per week nationwide. GKVSTF data showed that Selangor contributed to 111 BID cases, or 43 per cent of the 258 total BID cases, while Kuala Lumpur made up 44 BID cases, or 17 per cent of total BID cases over the 14-day period.
Malaysia has reported between 150 and 200 Covid-19 deaths daily during the past two weeks, bringing total deaths due to the coronavirus to about 1,000 per week.
BID comprised about 12 per cent, or 258 cases, of 2,158 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the past fortnight from July 18 to 31.
“I know a lot are concerned about the rising trend of cases that we show daily. This rising trend is a cumulative effect of something that happened a month ago because you have to talk about the incubation period and also the fact that the virus is in our community,” Dr Chong said.
He attributed the higher number of deaths to the surge in Covid-19 infections, which he said has been on the rise due to the easing of movement restrictions, the reopening of selected sectors of the economy, festival celebrations, and the spread of the Delta variant.
“This effect is now seen two weeks later, and now four weeks later as it accumulates. And also the fact that we are now seeing a more dominant Delta strain, which is more transmissible and more aggressive. So, these factors together have brought about the rise in cases,” he said.
Dr Chong noted that two months ago, the proportion of cases from the Greater Klang Valley area represents 60 to 70 per cent of total cases in Malaysia. Now, it is about 50 to 60 per cent.
“So, the rise in cases is both nationally as well as within the Greater Klang Valley. So, it’s not only the concern of the Greater Klang Valley, but also every other state in Malaysia.”
Health deputy director-general (research and technical support) Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim said at the same press briefing that he estimated Malaysia’s epidemic to peak at the end of this month, if 80 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated by end October.
CodeBlue has projected that all adults in Malaysia’s 23.4 million population aged 18 and older will receive their first dose by September 6, as well as two doses by October 11 at the earliest, based on rolling seven-day average vaccination rates yesterday.
