COVID-19: 39 NEW CASES, TALLY NOW 197

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 -- Thirty-nine new COVID-19 cases were reported in the country as at noon today, bringing cumulative cases to 197, said Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said of the new cases, 38 were from among the Patient-under-Investigation (PUI) category while the other contracted the coronavirus through close contact.

Four of the cases required ventilator support and were being treated at the intensive care unit with anti-viral treatment administered, he noted.

“In the first wave of infection, 22 cases were reported, out of which 12 were from among PUI, eight through  close contact while two from the airlift mission from Hubei province in China.

“All the cases in the first wave have recovered and been allowed to go home,” he said in a statement tonight.

As for the second wave that has happened now, he said 52 cases were reported from among PUI while the others were from two main clusters that have been identified.

Meanwhile, he said the Health Ministry is undertaking COVID-19 surveillance to detect isolated or sporadic cases in Malaysia through Influenza Like Illness  (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) patients which are not related to travel to COVID-19 affected countries or contact with positive COVID-19 cases.

To date, he said, 756 samples had been analysed and three were found positive for COVID-19.

He added that investigations found that these three cases originated from the tabligh gathering at a mosque in the city.

Further updates will be provided from time to time, he added.

-- BERNAMA