Covid-19: Total surpasses 7k mark with 31 new cases

Malaysia today recorded 31 new Covid-19 cases, putting the total number of infections above the 7,000 mark.

According to Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, there is a total of 7,009 Covid-19 cases, 81.4 percent or 5,806 of whom have recovered.

60 of the recoveries were recorded in the last 24 hours until noon.

Speaking at the Health Ministry's daily briefing in Putrajaya, he also reported no new deaths today.

Noor Hisham said of the 31 new cases, 10 were imported whereas 21 were local transmissions.

From the local transmissions, 11 were Malaysians while 10 were non-citizens.

As of noon today, he said 1,189 people are still in treatment.

From this number, 11 are in the intensive care unit (ICU), of which seven require a ventilator to breathe.

Noor Hisham reiterated for the people to comply with the conditional movement control order (MCO) and to be socially responsible.

He said people should ensure senior citizens and children are protected and practise good hygiene and social distancing.

Public called on to donate blood

On a separate matter, he said the amount of blood donated to government hospitals since the movement control order had fallen.

"Blood collection throughout the MCO period is only 60 percent of the target," he said, adding that this was despite various campaigns.

He noted that the usage of blood during the MCO from March 18 until May 3 had also fallen due to a reduction in road accidents as many people were not to leave their homes without good reason.

However, he said as the country's economy now reopened under a conditional MCO and people return to work, the need for blood may soon increase.

"The reduction in blood collection is concerning as many elective services at hospitals including surgery has now resumed," he said.

Noor Hisham said the average use of 9,000 blood bags a week during the MCO has now increased to 13,076 blood bags a week under the conditional MCO.

He said road accidents requiring medical attention have also increased by five to 10 percent since the reopening of the economy.

"The Health Ministry calls on the public to donate blood at the National Blood Centre and blood banks across the country to ensure there is sufficient blood supply," he said.

He added those who wish to donate can get information at www.pdn.gov.my or visit the National Blood Centre's Facebook page.

- Mkini