Covid-19 cases climb to 149, source of 20 new infections being traced

CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia has recorded 20 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 149, according to Health Ministry director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah.

In a statement, Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry is trying to trace the source of the new infections.

"The Health Ministry would like to inform that as of March 11, at 12pm, 20 new Covid-19 infections were reported.

"The close contacts of these cases are being identified and contact tracing is still ongoing until the source of the infection is determined," he said in a statement.

In another significant development, the Health Ministry, for the first time, has discovered a Covid-19 infection through testing to trace for sporadic cases.

These tests are done on patients with influenza-like-illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (Sari) who have not travelled overseas recently and are not linked to existing Covid-19 clusters.

The method is being used to see if there are any Covid-19 infections that are not part of infection clusters already known to health authorities.

"Until March 9, 600 samples were tested and one came back positive with Covid-19.

"Investigation is ongoing to determine the source of this sporadic case," he said.

In a related development, Noor Hisham (above) said two patients who have been in the intensive care unit still require a ventilator to assist in breathing but their condition is stable.

One is being treated at Sungai Buloh Hospital while another at Sultan Aminah Hospital, Johor Bharu.

Noor Hisham also said that 66 Malaysians who were evacuated from Wuhan, China during a second mission on Feb 26, have been allowed to return home after they completed their quarantine period.

"All of them did not show any symptoms and all repeat tests came back negative," he said.

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said Patient 78 has fully recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total recovery to 26. The patient has since been discharged.

 - Mkini