98% of new cases have light or no symptoms – health DG

 

A higher level of Covid-19 testing was reported in the past 14 days, half of them in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

PETALING JAYA: More than 98% of the new Covid-19 cases reported today did not show symptoms or had only light symptoms, according to figures released by the health ministry today.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 6,840 cases (54.6%) were in Category 1 (no symptoms) and 5,468 cases (43.6%) were in Category 2 (light symptoms).

However, a total of 120 serious cases were reported, with 108 requiring oxygen treatment or the use of ventilators.

Noor Hisham said 12 cases were in Category 3 (those with pneumonia), 44 were in category 4 (pneumonia, requiring oxygen) and 64 in Category 5 (in critical condition who require a ventilator to breathe).

A total of 12,528 new Covid-19 cases were reported today with the number of new cases breaching the 10,000 mark for the fifth day in a row.

A total of 908 patients are receiving intensive care and 425 requiring respiratory assistance.

Today’s figures show a higher proportion of those without symptoms) compared to yesterday, when the health ministry reported 6,504 cases (51.9%) in Category 1 and 5,848 cases (46.6%) in Category 2 (mild symptoms); 86 in Category 3, 49 in Category 4 and 54 in Category 5.

The high number of new cases comes as the ministry reported that higher levels of Covid-19 testing had been carried out over the past 14 days.

He said 132,935 tests had been carried out by July 16. The highest number of tests were carried out in Selangor (46,681), Kuala Lumpur (16,500) and Johor (10,611). - FMT