Single Covid-19 infection today, active cases dip below 200

CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia today recorded one new Covid-19 infection, and the number of active cases dipped below 200 for the first time in more than a week.

The respite came after the government reversed some easing by reimposing isolation at quarantine stations instead of home quarantine beginning July 24 and made mask-wearing in public places compulsory from Aug 1.

The country achieved a low of 63 active cases on July 9, but a series of home quarantine violation sparked new Covid-19 clusters.

The number of active cases broke 100 on July 19 and 200 on July 28.

Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the sole new case today involved a Malaysian was discovered through a severe acute respiratory infection screening at Hospital Tuanku Fauziah in Perlis. No new imported cases were reported.

This brings the cumulative infections to 9,002, of which 8,684 have recovered, including 16 new recoveries today.

At present, 193 Covid-19 patients are under treatment. The sole patient who was in the intensive care unit (ICU) has also pulled through, and none are now in the unit.

No new death was reported, maintaining the death toll at 125.

Noor Hisham, in a statement, said the last time the country recorded a single case was on July 1.

He thanked Malaysians for their cooperation and urged them to continue observing the standard operating procedures (SOP) to prevent the spread of the virus.

On a related matter, Noor Hisham denied the health ministry has called for all parents and students within the Kubang Pasu district to be screened for Covid-19.

The area is the site of the Sivagangga cluster which recorded 21 Covid-19 cases, mostly comprising family members and restaurant patrons after a restaurant owner violated home quarantine rules and spent time at his business.

Parts of Kubang Pasu are now under a partial lockdown termed "targeted enhanced movement control order (MCO)", the first of its kind since the country came out of lockdown and went into recovery mode.

Noor Hisham had yesterday said the partial lockdown in the area was necessary as the restaurant violated SOP by not recording details of their patrons, making contact-tracing difficult. No new case was reported from the cluster today.

Noor Hisham said those who need to get a Covid-19 test are those within the targeted enhanced MCO areas.

They include the area within a 1km radius of Restoran Nasi Kandar Salleh in Pekan Napoh, Kubang Pasu and also Kampung Pida Satu in Megat Dewa, Kubang Pasu, Kampung Bendang Dalam in Kubang Pasu and Kampung Ulu in Padang Sanai, Padang Terap.

He said other people being sought for testing are those who visited the restaurant or had dealings with the restaurant owner, who is the index case, between July 13 and July 27.

He said those who have a fever and respiratory symptoms should also get tested.