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span style="font-size:14px">By Melati Mohd Ariff
This is Bernama’s weekly roundup on COVID-19 and related matters in Malaysia and globally from May 21 till noon today.
In Malaysia cases numbers have exceeded 4.49 million and globally, the virus has infected more than 530 million people and caused over 6.3 million deaths. Some 500 million patients have so far recovered from the virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which is now in its third year, has affected 227 countries and territories. The latest in the list of affected nations is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) – A total of 11,575 new daily COVID-19 cases has been reported over six days during the week (May 21 to May 26), a drop of about 2.9 per cent from 11,919 cases previously (May 14 to May 19).
Yesterday (May 26), the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 1,845 new daily COVID-19 cases with Selangor recording the highest figure with 848 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur with 274 cases and Penang 117 cases.
For the six-day period, MOH has reported one cluster namely community cluster (Pulai Jaya cluster) in Kinta, Perak and up till May 22, a total of 24 positive COVID-19 cases were detected.
This means that during the month of May to date (May 1 to May 26), only two (2) new clusters were detected. Previously on May 11, a cluster involving a detention centre was reported in Serian, Sarawak (Dti Semuja 4 cluster), with 14 cases detected so far.
For the record, MOH has detected 7,012 clusters during the COVID-19 pandemic which hit the nation for more than two years and as of yesterday (May 26), only eight (8) clusters remain active.
With new daily cases of 1,845, Malaysia’s cumulative COVID-cases now stood at 4,499,057.
A total of 1,825 recovered cases were reported yesterday, bringing the cumulative figure as of 11.59 pm on May 26 to 4,438,212.
Below is the breakdown of new daily COVID-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama (May 21 to May 26):
May 21 (2,021), May 22 (1,817), May 23 (1,544), May 24 (1,918), May 25 (2,430) and May 26 (1,845).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (left) receiving the honorary doctorate in medicine for his efforts in the fight against COVID-19 from Nihon University president Dr Naoto Kato at its campus in Tokyo recently (May 24). --fotoBERNAMA (2022) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Starting April 1, Malaysia entered its transition to endemic phase of COVID-19 as an exit strategy that allows Malaysians to return to near-normal life after battling the pandemic for nearly two years.
Several COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been relaxed effective May 1. Among others, face mask wearing outdoors is optional, physical distancing is no longer required and MySejahtera check-in requirement is also lifted.
With a cumulative figure of 4,499,057 Malaysia is now ranked 23rd in the list of 227 nations/ territories struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Malaysia is Ukraine (5,011,433) and Mexico (5,759,773).
According to Worldometer, of the list of 227 nations, DPRK continued to record the highest number of infections taking the 37th spot with 105,500 new daily cases reported yesterday, followed by the United States (US) with 86,827 cases and Taiwan 81,907 cases.
On COVID-19 fatalities, the US reported the highest death cases with 1,030,717 cases reported yesterday.
Meanwhile COVIDNOW data from MOH as of 11.59 pm yesterday showed COVID-19 cases stood at 24,089 active cases (95.6 per cent) and of the total, 25,189 were home quarantined.
A total of 17 cases (0.1 per cent) were at the COVID-19 Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC); 1,056 cases (4.2 per cent) at hospitals; 9 cases (0.0 per cent) at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) without respiratory assistance (APB) while 18 cases (0.1 per cent) at the ICU with ABP.
A Tupai durian wholesaler picking the best of the King of Fruits at the Sungai Ara orchard which was previously closed to visitors due to the Movement Control Order (MCO). --fotoBERNAMA (2022) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Malaysia’s COVID-19 infectivity rate or Ro/Rt value this week is as follows:
*the lowest level of 0.52 was recorded on May 6.
*once again exceeded 1.00 with 1.05 on May 11.
May 21 (0.87), May 22 (0.87), May 23 (0.89), May 24 (0.95), May 25 (0.98) and May 26 (0.96).
As of yesterday, the state with the highest Ro/Rt value was Sabah (1.08) followed by Kuala Lumpur (0.96) and Melaka (0.94).
The R-Naught or R0/Rt value of a virus indicates the infectivity rate or the number of new infections generated by each case. An R0 value of 0.5 would be needed to flatten this deadly virus’ infection curve.
COVID-19 SCENARIO IN MALAYSIA
The full reopening of nine land and sea Thai-Malaysia checkpoints since early this month will help spur post COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery of both countries. --fotoBERNAMA (2022) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Recovered cases:
May 21 (3,162), May 22 (3,389), May 23 (2,905), May 24 (2,124), May 25 (2,192) and May 26 (1,825).
* cumulative recovered cases as of May 26 stood at 4,438,212.
Active cases with probable infection:-
May 21 (28,085), 22 May 22 (26,511), May 23 (25,148), May 24 (24,940), May 25 (25,172) and May 26 (25,189).
The breakdown in new daily cases (1,845) :-
*state-by-state, as of 11.59 pm yesterday
* (+imported cases)
Latest Status of COVID-19 in Malaysia. New Cases by States. Source: MOH
Three digit new daily cases - Negeri Sembilan 112 (+0), Perak 109 (+0), Penang 117 (+0), Selangor 848 (+3) and Kuala Lumpur 274 (+0);
Two digit new daily cases - Johor 44(+0), Kedah 36 (+0), Kelantan 11 (+4), Melaka 47 (+2), Pahang 25 (+0), Sabah 75 (+0), Sarawak 72 (+0), Terengganu 11 (+0) and Putrajaya 49 (+0);
One digit new daily cases - Perlis 3 (+0) dan WP Labuan 3 (+0).
New record cases, imported cases, local transmission:
May 21 – New cases: 2,021; Cumulative : 4,489,503; Imported cases: 1.
May 22 - New cases: 1,817; Cumulative : 4,491,320; Imported cases: 3.
May 23 – New cases: 1,544; Cumulative : 4,492,864; Imported cases: 3.
May 24 – New cases: 1,918; Cumulative: 4,494,782; Imported cases: 22.
May 25 – New cases: 2,430; Cumulative: 4,497,212; Imported cases: 12.
May 26 – New cases: 1,845; Cumulative: 4,499,057; Imported cases: 9.
Meanwhile, total active clusters in the country as of yesterday stood at only 8. Overall, a total of 7,012 clusters were detected in the country with of them having ended.
For the week compiled by Bernama, only one (1) new cluster was detected and according to MOH, the Pulai Jaya cluster was detected in Kinta, Perak.As of May 22, 24 positive cases were reported.
New record cases and the breakdown of clusters:-
May 21 – No cluster
May 22 - 1 cluster (community 1)
May 23 – No cluster
May 24 – No cluster
May 25 – No cluster
May 26 – No cluster
The daily breakdown in fatalities is as follows:
*BID = Brought-in-Dead are cases outside the hospital and those brought to the hospital's forensic department; positive COVID-19 cases after PT PCR tests conducted.
May 21 - 3 (BID 0), May 22 - 2 (BID 1), May 23 - 2 (BID 0), May 24 - 2 (BID 0), May 25 - 6 (BID 0) and May 26 - 3 (BID 0).
*Total fatalities as of yesterday stood at 35,656 cases.
GLOBAL COVID-19 STATISTICS
Current Worldwide Statistics on COVID-19 and COVID-19 Case Summary in Malaysia. worldometers.info/coronavirus
According to Worldometer, total COVID-19 cases globally to date stood at 530,313,294 compared to 526,446,054 cases previously with 6,307,781 fatalities as against 520,289,101 the previous week. Recovered cases stood at 500,792,046 from 496,175,540 previously.
Some 227 countries are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and those in the top 10 of the list are the US, India, Brazil, France, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK) , Russia, South Korea, Italy and Turkey. The latest in the list is DPRK.
The breakdown of the top 10 nations (+ new record daily cases) is as follows:
US 85,570,162 (+86,827);
India 43,146,033 (+1,213);
Brazil 30,880,512 (+33,910);
France 29,434,605 (+21,234);
Germany 26,238,641 (+34,639);
UK 22,276,975 (+no information);
Russia 18,310,673 (+4,700);
South Korea 18,036,720 (+18,797);
Italy 17,333,299 (+20,322);
Turkey 15,067,077 (+1,310).
Besides Malaysia, the Southeast Asian nations namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Brunei, have joined the list of 127 countries with more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases.
The cumulative breakdown of COVID-19 cases (+new daily cases) is as follows:-
Vietnam in the 12th spot - 10,714,008 (+1,275);
Indonesia in the 19th spot - 6,053,670 (+246);
Malaysia in the 23rd spot - 4,499,057 (+1,845);
Thailand in the 24th spot - 4,429,674 (+4,924);
Philippines in the 32nd spot - 3,689,656 (+199);
Singapore in the 53rd spot - 1,286,216 (+3,936);
Myanmar in the 80th spot - 613,260 (+4);
Laos in the 111th spot - 209,888 (+27);
Brunei in the 122nd spot 122 - 147,493 (+222) and
Cambodia in the 124th spot - 136,262 (+no information).
COVID-19 BACKGROUND
-- The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s China country office was informed of cases of pneumonia that were detected in Wuhan on Dec 31, 2019. On Jan 7, 2020 the Chinese authorities confirmed that the newly detected novel coronavirus can be transmitted from human to human.
-- Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-COV).
-- A study of the virus’ genetic sequence suggested similarities to that seen in snakes and bats. China health officials identified the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan as the source of the transmission of the coronavirus.
-- On Feb 11, 2020, WHO announced the official name of the virus, COVID-19, which is an acronym for coronavirus 2019 – CO stands for corona, VI for virus and D for disease.
-- On Jan 30, 2020, WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global emergency and on March 11, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
-- WHO has described the COVID-19 outbreak as much more dangerous than the A H1N1 Influenza, also known as Swine Flu.
-- Swine Flu, which occurred between January 2009 and August 2010, infected more than 1.6 million people and caused 18,449 fatalities. It was first detected in Mexico and later in the United States in March 2009.
-- COVID-19 was detected in Malaysia on Jan 25, 2020, when three Chinese citizens, who had entered Malaysia through Johore from Singapore on Jan 23, were tested positive for the disease.
-- New variants of the COVID-19 coronavirus have since emerged in the United Kingdom (identified as B117) in September 2020, South Africa (501Y.V2) in October 2020 and India (B.1.617), also in October 2020.
-- Cumulatively, Malaysia's COVID-19 cases have breached the one million mark as on July 25, with 1,013,438 cases. The first time daily cases reached the five-digit level was on July 13 with 11,079 cases.
-- WHO on Nov 26 designated a new variant of COVID-19, named Omicron, a variant of concern. It was first detected in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
-- Scientists at the IHU have detected a new variant named B.1.640.2 at end-November last year, with 46 mutations on its spike protein and nicknamed it IHU.
-- Meanwhile, Israel has confirmed its first case of an individual infected with 'Flurona', a term coined to describe the condition of being infected with COVID-19 and the seasonal flu simultaneously. (Jan 2, 2022).
-- April 1, 2022 – Malaysia enters the transition to endemic phase of COVID-19 as an exit strategy that allows Malaysians to return to normalcy after almost two years of battling COVID-19.
-- May 1, 2022 – On April 27, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced the easing of several restrictions, which include the lifting of the requirement for check-ins on MySejahtera effective May 1.
Translated by Salbiah Said
BERNAMA
