Covid-19: Active cases double in two weeks, R-naught above 1

CORONAVIRUS | There were nine new cases of Covid-19 infections during the 24-hour period ending noon today, of which six involved local transmissions.

Of the six, four cases involved locals, all of which were recorded in Sarawak.

Three cases involved three known clusters in Kuching and one case is still under investigation.

Of the two cases of local transmission involving foreigners, both involved prison detainees - one in Kelantan and another in Sabah.

There were three imported cases involving two foreigners and one Malaysian.

Of the total number of active cases, five patients now require intensive care of which two require ventilator support, up from one yesterday.

As of noon today, eight patients have been discharged bringing the total number discharged to 8,574. The current recovery rate is 97 percent.

According to the Health Ministry, Malaysia's testing capacity yesterday was 37,100. A total of 4,776 tests were conducted in the reporting period. This figure does not include negative results from private labs.

Active cases doubled

Meanwhile, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today revealed that the number of active Covid-19 cases stood at 143 today, double what it was on July 9.

Noor Hisham warned that if Malaysians did not adhere to the government guidelines - social distancing, wearing masks and washing of hands - then the number of infections would increase.

The current R-naught figure stood at 1.36, up from a low of 0.3 during the movement control order period, he said.

This R-naught figure is used by epidemiologists to describe how infectious a disease is. A rate above one meant that its infectivity was increasing.

"If it reaches 1.6, then it means we can expect an exponential increase in a short period of time," warned Noor Hisham.

- Mkini