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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 Jan 7 to noon today.
In Malaysia, case numbers stood at 5.03 million and globally, the virus has infected more than 670 million people and caused over 6.72 million deaths. Some 641 million patients have so far recovered from the virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which is now in its fourth year, has affected 229 countries and territories.
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) – The COVID-19 situation in Malaysia is “still under control” since the start of the second week of 2023 and remains at three digits (below 600 cases), with only 383 cases reported yesterday.
Out of 383 cases, a total of 141 cases (36.8 per cent) were reported in Selangor. Other states reported two digit figures namely Kuala Lumpur (58), Sarawak (31), Melaka (28), Penang (27), Kedah (17), Negeri Sembilan (14), Perak (13), Johor (11), Kelantan (11) and Terengganu (10).
One digit cases were reported in Putrajaya (8), Sabah (6), Labuan (4), Pahang (2) and Perlis (2).
The Titiwangsa Lake Garden is a hive of activity on weekends and public holidays since it was re-opened in 2019 after a year-long closure for improvements and beautification works. --fotoBERNAMA (2023) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
During the week compiled by Bernama from Jan 7 to Jan 12, total daily new cases stood at 2,489, down 5.4 per cent from 2,630 cases during the previous week Dec 31, 2022 to Jan 6, 2023.
Total cumulative COVID-19 cases in the country, according to data from the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s MOHNOW as of 11.59 pm yesterday stood at 5,031,826 cases. Out of the remaining 11,126 active cases, 95.4 per cent (10,611 cases) were quarantined at home.
Below are new daily COVID-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama from Jan 7 to Jan 12:-
Jan 7 (571), Jan 8 (405), Jan 9 (383), Jan 10 (380), Jan 11 (367) and Jan 12 (383).
New daily COVID-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama from Dec 31 to Jan 6, 2023:-
Dec 31 (513), Jan 1(420), Jan 2 (360), Jan 3 (333), Jan 4 (433), Jan 5 (571) and Jan 6 (543).
Daily COVID-19 cases in neighbouring Singapore for Jan 7 to Jan 12 are as follows:-
Jan 7 (684), Jan 8 (546), Jan 9 (385), Jan 10 (910), Jan 11 (598) and Jan 12 (524).
Foreign visitors waiting in line for passport clearance at the Immigration checkpoint on their arrival into the country at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). --fotoBERNAMA (2023) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
According to Health Minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, “the COVID-19 situation in the country is under control and there is no need to close the borders.”
“As of last Tuesday, no infections or symptoms were detected at entry points despite the arrival of about 7,000 tourists from China since Jan 8,” she told reporters in Pendang, Kedah yesterday.
For the record, the first case of COVID-19 (previously known as 2019-nCOV) was reported on Jan 25, 2020, when three Chinese citizens, who had entered Malaysia through Johor from Singapore on Jan 23, were tested positive for the disease.
With a cumulative figure of 5,031,826 cases, Malaysia now ranked 28th in the list of 229 countries/territories hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Malaysia are Chile (5,078,573) and Ukraine (5,361,352).
According to Worldometer, of the list of 229 countries, Japan reported the highest new daily cases (185,472) followed by South Korea (43,953) and the United States (27,178).
On COVID-19 fatalities, the United States (US) reported the highest figure with 1,124,382 cases.
COVID-19 SCENARIO IN MALAYSIA
With Chinese New Year just around the corner, crowds of people are doing their last minute shopping at Tokong Tow Boo Kong, Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth. --fotoBERNAMA (2023) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
(MOHNOW data as of 11.59pm yesterday)
According to MOHNOW, out of 11,126 active COVID-19 cases, 10,611 (95.4 per cent) were quarantined at home.
Zero (0) case was reported at the COVID-19 Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC); 495 cases (4.4 per cent) at hospitals; 12 cases (0.1 per cent) at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) without respiratory assistance (ABP) and 8 cases (0.1 per cent) at the ICU with ABP.
For the record, there are five categories of COVID-19 infections:-
According to MOH, Category 1 is for patients with no symptoms; Category 2 is for patients with mild symptoms; Category 3 is for patients with pneumonia; Category 4 is for patients who require supplemental oxygen; and Category 5 is for the critically ill and need to be on ventilator support at the ICU.
Total patients warded:-
Jan 7 (236), Jan 8 (194), Jan 9 (150), Jan 10 (170), Jan 11 (162) and Jan 12 (175).
Recovered cases:-
Thousands of football fans thronged the Dataran Merdeka to watch the AFF Cup semi-final (first leg) match between Malaysia and Thailand on the big screen. --fotoBERNAMA (2023) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Jan 7 (551), Jan 8 (441), Jan 9 (355), Jan 10 (393), Jan 11 (398) dan Jan 12 (625).
*cumulative recovered cases as of 11.59pm yesterday stood at 4,983,795.
Active cases with probable infections:-
Jan 7 (11,431), Jan 8 (11,894), Jan 9 (11,414), Jan 10 (11,412), Jan 11 (11,372) and Jan 12 (11,126).
Breakdown in new daily cases (383 cases):-
*state-to-state breakdown as of 11.59pm yesterday
*(+imported cases)
Latest Status of COVID-19 in Malaysia. New Cases by States. Source: MOH
Three digits - Selangor 141 (+0).
Two digits - Kuala Lumpur 58 (+0), Sarawak 31 (+0), Melaka 28 (+0), Penang 27 (+0), Kedah 17 +0), Negeri Sembilan 14 (+0), Perak 12 (+1), Johor 11 (+0), Kelantan 11 (+0) and Terengganu 10 (+0).
One digit - Putrajaya 8 (+0), Sabah 6 (+0), WP Labuan 4 (+0), Pahang 2 (+0) and Perlis 1 (+1).
New record cases, imported cases, local transmission:
Jan 7 - New cases 571; Cumulative cases 5,029,908; Imported cases 4
Jan 8 - New cases 405; Cumulative cases 5,030,313; Imported cases 8
Jan 9 - New cases 383; Cumulative cases 5,030,696; Imported cases 2
Jan 10 - New cases 380; Cumulative cases 5,031,076; Imported cases 11
Jan 11 - New cases 367; Cumulative cases 5,031,443; Imported cases 2
Jan 12 - New cases 383; Cumulative cases 5,031,826; Imported cases 2
Record death cases are as below:-
*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.
Jan 7 - 4 (BID 0), Jan 8 - 1 (BID 0), Jan 9 - 8 (BID 1), Jan 10 - 9 (BID 0), Jan 11 - 9 (BID 1) and Jan 12 - 4 (BID 2).
*As of yesterday, Malaysia’s COVID-19 death toll stood at 36,905.
GLOBAL COVID-19 STATISTICS
Current Worldwide Statistics on COVID-19 and COVID-19 Case Summary in Malaysia. worldometers.info/coronavirus
According to Worldometer, total global COVID-19 cases stood at 670,318,146 compared to 667,807,340 cases during the previous week with 6,723,617 deaths (6,709,472 previously).
A total of 641,428,691 recovered cases were reported as against 639,374,247 previously.
Some 229 countries are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and those in the top 10 of the list are the US, India, France, Germany, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK) and Russia.
The breakdown of the top 10 nations (+ new record daily cases) is as follows:-
*No information (NA).
US 103,425,903 (+27,178)
India 44,681,884 (+191)
France 39,435,938 (+7,159)
Germany 37,496,370 (NA)
Brazil 36,602,669 (+20,505)
Japan 31,032,204 (+185,472)
South Korea 29,698,043 (+43,953)
Italy 25,143,705 (NA)
UK 24,135,084 (NA)
Russia 21,841,644 (+4,675)
Below is a breakdown of cumulative COVID-19 cases and (+new daily cases) among Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia:-
*No information (NA).
Vietnam 13th spot - 11,526,034 (+88)
Indonesia 20th spot - 6,725,095 (+412)
Malaysia 28th spot - 5,031,826 (+383)
Thailand 31st spot - 4,723,919 (NA)
Philippines 37th spot - 4,069,147 (+307)
Singapore 45th spot - 2,210,633 (+524)
Myanmar 83rd spot - 633,731 (+1)
Brunei 107th spot - 270,199 (NA)
Laos 113th spot - 217,915 (+14)
Cambodia 125th spot - 138,651 (+9)
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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.
-- The pre endemic scenario shows the XBB variant was dominant in the spread of COVID-19 in the country based on the genetic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 throughout December 2022, comprising 55.4 per cent, followed by the BA.2.75 variant (20.8 per cent) and BQ.1 variant (10.8 per cent).
-- The XBB variant was the main variant spreading among Malaysians since October 2022. Both the XBB and BA.2.75 variants are categorised by WHO as Lineage Under Monitoring (LUM).
-- One of the Omicron sub-variants originally detected in October 2022 is XBB.1.5, a recombinant of two BA.2 sublineages. It is on the rise in the US and Europe and has now been identified in more than 25 countries.
-- Some scientists have nicknamed the XBB.1.5 Omicron strain as ‘Kraken’ with the potential of spawning more dangerous variants. WHO has announced that it had commissioned a risk assessment that outlines the new threats the XBB.1.5 variant poses, if any.
-- In China, the BA.5.2 and BF.7 variants accounted for almost 80 per cent of the variants that are currently found to be spreading rapidly in the republic.
Translated by Salbiah Said
BERNMA
