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156 new Covid-19 cases as of noon today, tally now 2,626: Health DG (Updated)

PETALING JAYA: There were 156 new Covid-19 cases, with three deaths recorded at noon today, which brings the total number of infected and deceased cases to 2,626 and 37, respectively.

“To date, (out of the 2,626 new cases), 94 are being treated in intensive care and of these, 62 cases require breathing assistance,” Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.

He also noted that the country saw a record number of 91 patients having recovered and discharged in one day. This brings the number of those who have recovered to 479.

There was no drastic increase of Covid-19 cases here so far.

He explained that recording 150 to 200 cases a day is considered stable and attributes the number to active case inspections according to the ministry.

“We have been observing cases closely and have compared the figures to other countries, to which we can say there has been no significant increase so far.”

“What we fear is a sudden surge of between 900 to 1,000 cases in a day,“ he said.

Hisham also shared that the Health Ministry has managed to increase the number of hospitals providing Covid-19 screening services across the nation, from 57 to 70 hospitals.

The number of hospitals equipped to treat Covid-19 cases has also been increased from 26 to 38, thanks to cooperation from the Malaysian Armed Forces and the University of Malaya University Medical Center.

“Seven of these hospitals are specialised in treating Covid-19 patients,” he said.

Of the three fatalities, the 35th victim was a 57-year-old woman with a history of diabetes who had travelled to Indonesia. She was treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

Case 36 was a 47-year-old Malaysian, treated at the Sarawak General Hospital on March 23.

Case 37 was A 46-year-old female. She had a history of high blood pressure and an autoimmune disease. She was hospitalised at the Miri Hospital in Sarawak.

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March 30, 2020
Over 5,000 tabligh attendees yet to get screened

PUTRAJAYA: Over 5,000 attendees of the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque have yet to undergo Covid-19 screening, according to Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said to date, a total of 17,965 attendees were screened with some 12,842 samples taken.

“Of the total, 1,254 have been tested positive, 7,084 were confirmed negative while 4,504 are awaiting Covid-19 test results,” he told a press conference, here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said out of the 150 new confirmed cases today, 63 were linked to the Sri Petaling Mosque tabligh cluster.

On the illegal immigrants and those from the Rohingya ethnic group who were also at the tabligh gathering, he said the Health Ministry is collaborating with several non governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure all of them get screened.

“Those illegal immigrants may be afraid to come forward but at least when they go to the clinics (with the help of the NGOs), we will have the data to enable us conduct the necessary treatment and screening,” he added.

The NGOs are the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia’s Response and Relief Team (Imaret), Mercy Malaysia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said the 100,000 test kits from China received by the ministry were meant for laboratory use and are not rapid test kits.

“We have also identified the laboratories that will be using the test kits,” he said.

He also said the ministry had received the supplies of reagents used for Covid-19 testing which would allow the test to be conducted at full capacity.

“We will continue to outsource the test to seven priavate laboratories,” Dr Noor Hisham added. – Bernama

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March 29, 2020
Covid-19: Chow Kit market remains busy, but with close monitoring

KUALA LUMPUR: The implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) has not stopped people from visiting Chow Kit Wholesaler Market here although the authority has limited the number of visitors who can enter the market at a time.

A check by Bernama found that customers start queueing up patiently lining-up in very early in the morning while monitored by the police.

Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Mohd Fahmi Visuvanathan Abdullah said as of 10am today, about 700 visitors had already lined up to enter the market, which was allowed to operate from 6am until 1pm.

The police divided them accordingly into groups of between 30 and 40 and gave them 20 minutes to enter the market to buy essential goods.

“Customers need to register their names and undergo body temperature screening before they can enter the market. This is to ensure that they complied with the MCO,” he told reporters after monitoring the MCO implementation at the market today.

He said the police also set-up a special lane for the elderlies.

However, he regretted that some visitors did not practice one-meter social distancing or were not wearing face masks.

Mohd Fahmi Visuvanathan also reminded the people not to visit Chow Kit Market after 1pm.

“Action will be taken to those who refuse to comply,” he said.

To date, no arrests have been made by the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters in relation to MCO implementation.

Meanwhile, several customers at the market described the entry limit as a good measure to break the Covid-19 infection chain.

A homemaker Aminah Abdullah, 44, said the 20-minute limit to buy necessities would be sufficient if the customers made initial preparations by listing the items to be purchased.

“I’m a regular customer in this market … so when I came to the market, I already know my way to the items I need,” she said.

A civil servant, known as Amir, said he visited the market to buy necessities for his family.

“I came to buy goods in large quantities for my family because I need to go to Johor afterwards. My wife and children stay in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

A worker in a private sector, Abdullah Sidek, 44, said as the head of his family he is taking over the task of buying groceries from his wife during the MCO period.

“I didn’t encounter problems because my wife had prepared a good list of items she needed, everything is in this market,” he said. — Bernama

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March 27, 2020
Two Persons Allegedly Die Of Coronavirus After Attending 80th Birthday Party Of Nigeria’s Ambassador To United Kingdom, Okoya, Osoba Among Top Guests At Lavish Ceremony

Two yet-to-be identified persons are alleged to have died of Coronavirus after attending the lavish and star-studded 80th birthday party of Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, George Adetola Oguntade.

The colourful ceremony, which took place on March 10, 2020, was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a posh area of UK’s most popular city – London.

Apart from the two guests alleged to have died of the virus after attending the event, one other attendee is said to be on ventilator at a hospital in London.

One of the two persons that died is said to be related to Dorlapoh Crystals, a popular UK-based business owner whose company customises fashion items.

The development has since raised fears that scores of other attendees at the ceremony could have contracted the deadly virus.

Among prominent Nigerians, who attended the party are billionaire Rasak Okoya and his wife Sade, a former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, Kessington Adebutu (Baba Ijebu), Oba Saheed Elegushi, music icon – Ebenezer Obey, and Dele Momodu.

Many of these high-profile guests have since returned to Nigeria, further raising concerns that some of them may have imported the dreaded virus into the country without knowing.

Coronavirus was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 31 and since that period, there has been 8,077 confirmed infections and 422 deaths.

Therefore, as at the time Oguntade’s birthday was staged in London on March 10, the virus had fully taken up strategic positions across most parts of the UK.

In a recent interview, Momodu, a veteran journalist and Publisher of Ovation International, confirmed attending the party in London but said that he had no symptoms of the pandemic.

Senior airport sources however, told SaharaReporters that many top Nigerians, who arrived in the country from UK and other parts of the world before the ban on international flights into Nigeria was announced, refused to submit themselves for medical screening for the virus.

Already, a number of prominent Nigerians have been confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Video of Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, and Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, have all tested positive to the virus while dozens others including state governors, who came in contact with them in recent days have now gone into self-isolation in order to ward off the pandemic.

Nigeria has 46 confirmed cases of Coronavirus so far and one recorded death.

Though government at the federal and state levels have adopted series of measures to curtail the pandemic, there are fears of the virus spreading further in the coming days.

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March 26, 2020
Private hospitals urged to provide more assistance to govt hospitals

PETALING JAYA: Private hospitals are asked to put profits aside for now and in the name of service, support the Health Ministry in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) CEO Datuk Dr Paul Selvaraj said in this time of crisis, private hospitals, especially those run by government-linked companies, should give their utmost to assist the government given that public hospitals are called to treat the rising number of Covid-19 patients.

“Put service as priority and put aside profits for now,“ he told theSun today.

Suaram adviser Kua Kia Soong suggested that private hospitals step forward to take some of the burden off the public sector by providing some sort of subsidised charges or no cost at all. They should also help with cases which are not related to the viral pandemic, fill the need for special wards, offer intensive care unit space and equipment such as ventilators and oxygen supply.

“In the best of times, private hospitals reap the benefits of the much touted Malaysian product known as ‘medical tourism’ and attract the best medical talents from the public sector.

“Now that we are in the worst of times, private hospitals don’t seem to be doing too badly either.

“According to the Affin Hwang Capital Research, the coronavirus pandemic is likely to have only a muted impact on private hospital operators as they are required to report such cases to public hospitals and the national infection centre,“ Kua said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, in response to the many questions broached of late, president of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said they (private hospitals) have made available 51 ventilators to the Health Ministry.

“We will be accepting non Covid-19 cases from the Health Ministry hospitals too. Discussions on taking on cases are in the final stages,“ he said in a statement on Tuesday.

He also said the APHM and its member hospitals see this as an opportunity for the private hospitals to work with the Health Ministry and the government in facing this national crisis.

“We have the support of all private hospitals in cancelling electives and reducing non urgent consultation while some private hospitals have even started Covid-19 screening for walk-ins and drive-ins,“ he added.

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March 25, 2020
Rohingya who attended tabligh gathering urged to go for screening

KUALA LUMPUR: To contain further spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia, Mercy Malaysia today called on the Rohingya ethnic group who were at the Ijtimak Tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque from Feb 28 to March 1, to come forward for Covid-19 screening.

Programme Operations general manager Mohammad Said Alhudzari Ibrahim said it is estimated that about 500 Rohingya people had joined the tabligh gathering and some of them have been identified.

He said though some have undergone health screening, others have refused to do so as they feared they would be arrested by the authorities should they report themselves for the testing.

So far, no Covid-19 positive cases have been identified from among this group.

“For those who are afraid to come for screening, Mercy Malaysia will contact the nearest District Health Office for further action, once we have the information,“ he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Mohammad Said Alhudzari said in tracking down the Rohingya Muslims, Mercy Malaysia was working in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (IMARET), Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA), National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (Tzu Chi).

He said should any of the Rohingya people is found to be Covid-19 positive, Mercy Malaysia would ensure that their family members are quarantined and food aid would be given to them.

“Money raised for the Covid-19 Pandemic Fund launched on March 18, will be used for this purpose,” he added. – Bernama

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March 24, 2020
Ladang Bukit Batu in Sabah closes after employees test positive for Covid-19

TAWAU: Sabah Softwoods Berhad (SSB) has ceased operations at one of its estates, Ladang Bukit Batu in Kalabakan near here, after seven of its employees tested positive for Covid-19.

SSB chief executive officer, Hattah Jaafar, when met by Bernama at his office here today, said the step was taken to prevent the spread of the virus to other workers.

“Currently, the seven estate workers are being treated at Hospital Tawau, while another five employees are under quarantine at the estate,” he said.

Hattah also confirmed that two employees, including the imam of the mosque on the estate, attended the Feb 27 to March 1 ‘tabligh’ gathering at the Sri Petaling mosque in Kuala Lumpur. However, both individuals and their family members had undergone health screening at the hospital.

Hattah thanked the personnel at the Kalabakan District Office and Hospital Tawau for their assistance in handling the Covid-19 situation on the estate. – Bernama

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March 23, 2020
Covid-19 test: No charges for foreigners at public clinics, hospitals

PUTRAJAYA: Foreigners who appear for Covid-19 tests at clinics and public hospitals will not be charged, according to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said the decision was in line with the circular issued by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) on Jan 29.

“If the foreigners come to the MOH clinic or hospital for non-Covid-19 diseases, they will be charged the set fee.

“(However) for Covid-19 related illnesses, as per the circular dated Jan 29, fees will not be charged, regardless of whether one is poor or rich,“ he said during a press conference on Covid-19, here today.

The government had previously urged foreigners in the country to come forward and conduct Covid-19 screening tests to determine their health status following the rise in the number of positive cases reported.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said all the participants of the tabligh programme which took place at the Sri Petaling Mosque recently have been urged to undergo Covid-19 tests even though they showed no symptoms.

He said this was due to the spike in the number of positive cases reported from the cluster.

“If according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), only those with symptoms should be tested, but that was in the past. We have now agreed that even those members who show no symptoms will undergo Covid-19 tests,“ he said.

He was commenting on allegations that there were members of the tabligh group who had been to health facilities several times but had not been tested for Covid-19.

Dr Noor Hisham said of the 6,700 participants who had undergone the test, 940 were found positive for Covid-19, which accounts for about 62% of the 1,518 positive cases in the country so far.

On whether the MOH would propose to the government to extend the Movement Control Order period which is set to expire on March 31, or impose a ‘total lockdown’ following the rise in the number of deaths due to the disease, he said the ministry’s main focus currently was to enhance capacity and expertise, especially in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

He said if the death rate were to be taken as a yardstick, the current rate used worldwide was 4.5% of the total number of cases, and in Malaysia, there were 1,518 cases so far.

This could mean there was a possibility of about 60 cases resulting in death, however, he said the current death toll in Malaysia stood at only 14.

The MCO was implemented by the government from March 18 to 31 to curb the spread of Covid-19. – Bernama

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March 23, 2020
Thermal scanners set up to screen departing passengers at KLIA main terminal

KUALA LUMPUR: All passengers departing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) main terminal will now undergo body temperature screening through the use of thermal scanners placed before the check-in areas.

The screening for departing passengers runs from today until further notice, said Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which operates KLIA as well as 38 other airports in the country.

“This is one of our many efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak and ensure the safety of all passengers and the airport community,” MAHB said in its social media postings.

It said the scanners are placed between the entrance to check-in counters B and C, as well as counters H and I.

Only departing passengers, staff and crew with a body temperature below 37.5 degrees Celcius are allowed to pass through the screening point into the check-in areas, the airport operator said.

“No senders and greeters will be allowed into the check-in areas. Exceptions will be given for one guardian of children or passengers needing special assistance,” it said.

A person who is denied entry needs to inform the respective airline and is recommended to immediately go to the clinic or hospital for a health check, MAHB added. – Bernama

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March 23, 2020
King expresses sadness, concern about healthcare workers infected with Covid-19

KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed his sadness and concern over the news that several healthcare workers from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and private healthcare facilities have been infected with Covid-19.

Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said Al-Sultan Abdullah was extremely concerned about the situation as the healthcare workers were the frontliners who have spent most of their time and energy to help contain the pandemic.

“As at March 21, the MOH has confirmed that 19 of its staff and five from the private healthcare facilities have been infected with Covid-19, while as at noon today, 212 new positive Covid-19 cases were reported, bringing the total to 1,518.

“Two of the 19 MOH staff are currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) and investigations found that all of them were close contacts to the first and second generations of the tabligh clusters,” he said in a statement here today.

As of March 22, a total of 460 MOH healthcare workers had been tested negative for Covid-19, while the remaining 190 were awaiting results.

As of this afternoon, MOH confirmed that the Covid-19 total deaths in Malaysia stood at 14.

Ahmad Fadil said in this regard, His Majesty called on the people to be honest and truthful with health personnel in giving information about their travel history and close contacts to determine the source of infection thus containing the spread of the disease.

“It is important to be honest when undergoing the screening as the information given is vital to the MOH. This will also prevent MOH frontline personnel from getting infected.

“Al-Sultan Abdullah also urged those who had close contacts with confirmed Covid-19 cases and had developed symptoms of the disease to immediately go the nearest government health facilities for examination. Don’t take symptoms lightly,” he said.

Ahmad Fadil said the King also expressed his appreciation for the sacrifice, commitment and dedication of Covid-19 frontliners including personnel of MOH, government agencies as well as private healthcare facilities.

“His Majesty hopes that all of them will continue to remain resilient in carrying out their responsibilities for the safety of the people and our beloved country,” he added.

Al-Sultan Abdullah reiterated his advice for the people to comply with the Movement Control Order and follow the guidelines issued by the MOH to end the pandemic.

His Majesty also conveyed his condolences to family members of those who have died of Covid-19 and called on Malaysians to continue praying so that the Covid-19 situation can be tackled as soon as possible. – Bernama

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March 23, 2020