This is Bernama’s weekly roundup on Covid-19 and related matters in Malaysia and globally from June 18 till noon today.
In Malaysia, case numbers have exceeded 4.54 million and globally, the virus has infected more than 547 million people and caused over 6.34 million deaths. Some 522 million patients have so far recovered from the virus.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which is now in its third year, has affected 228 countries and territories.
In Malaysia, Covid-19 cases are on the uptrend this week with yesterday’s new daily caseload reaching nearly 3,000 infections including 209 imported cases.
For the record, the new daily cases of 2,796 reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday were the highest for this month so far.
Overall, a total of 13,052 new daily Covid-19 cases were reported for the six-day period compiled by Bernama from June 18 to June 23 compared to 11,647 cases for the same period from June 11 to June 16.
Yesterday’s new cases brought the nation’s Covid-19 active cases with probable infection to 27,318 while total cumulative cases now stood at 4,549,847.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday said a new wave of Covid-19 infections in the country is expected to occur earlier than predicted based on a rise in daily cases in the country and Singapore.
As a comparison, Singapore reported 7,109 cases on June 21, followed by 5,862 cases on June 22 and 6,606 cases on June 23.
Meanwhile, Selangor retained its top spot with the highest number of new daily cases and yesterday, it reported 930 cases (including 200 imported cases), followed by Kuala Lumpur (843), Penang (203), Negeri Sembilan (156), Sabah (137), Perak (123), and Malacca (109).
Selangor also recorded the highest imported cases, with 100 cases on June 21 out of 114 cases reported.
Other states reported two-digit new daily cases, namely Sarawak (70), Johor (52), Kedah (49), Putrajaya (48), Pahang (30), and Kelantan (29).
States with one-digit cases are Terengganu (8), Perlis (6), and Labuan (3).
Below is the breakdown of new daily Covid-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama (June 18 to June 23):
June 18 (2,127)
June 19 (1,690)
June 20 (2,093)
June 21 (1,921)
June 22 (2,425)
June 23 (2,796)
New daily Covid-19 cases from June 11 to June 16:
June 11 (1,709)
June 12 (1,571)
June 13 (2,092)
June 14 (1,922)
June 15 (2,320)
June 16 (2,033)
A total of 2,503 recovered Covid-19 cases were reported as of 11.59pm on June 23, bringing the cumulative figure to 4,486,787.
Starting April 1, Malaysia entered its “transition to endemic” phase of Covid-19 as an exit strategy that allows Malaysians to return to near-normal life after battling the pandemic for nearly two years.
Several Covid-19 SOPs have been relaxed effective May 1. Among others, facemask wearing outdoors is optional, physical distancing is no longer required, and the MySejahtera check-in requirement is also lifted.
During the week, MOH reported two new education clusters on June 23 in Selangor.
The Jalan Beringin 2 Cluster (Hulu Selangor) was reported as of June 23 with 57 cases while 51 cases were detected for the 5km Jalan Banting Dengkil Cluster (Kuala Langat, Klang, Gombak) as of June 22.
This brings the total clusters detected during the month of June to date to four and all are education clusters.
Overall, MOH has detected 7,017 clusters since the Covid-19 pandemic struck the nation more than two years ago. As of yesterday (June 23), six clusters were still active.
With a cumulative figure of 4,549,847 cases, Malaysia is now ranked 25th in the list of 228 nations/territories struck by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of Malaysia is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) with 4,685,560 cases and Ukraine with 5,015,994 cases.
According to Worldometer, of the list of 228 nations, Germany recorded the highest number of new daily infections with 119,360 cases, followed by the United States at 96,702, and France at 79,852.
On Covid-19 fatalities, the US reported the highest number of death cases with 1,040,236.
Meanwhile, MOH’s CovidNow website as of 11.59pm yesterday showed 26,253 cases (96.1 percent) were quarantined at home out of 27,318 active Covid-19 cases reported.
A total of 18 cases (0.1 percent) were at the Covid-19 Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC); 1,009 cases (3.7 percent) at hospitals; 17 cases (0.1 percent) at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) without respiratory assistance (APB), while 21 cases (0.1 percent) at the ICU with ABP.
Global stats
According to Worldometer, total Covid-19 cases globally to date stood at 547,386,723 (previous week: 543,682,014) with 6,347,567 fatalities (6,339,468 previously). A total of 522,675,831 recovered patients were reported as compared to 518,780,372 a week earlier.
Some 228 countries are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and those in the top 10 of the list are the US, India, Brazil, France, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), Russia, South Korea, Italy, and Turkiye.
The breakdown of the top 10 nations (+new record daily cases) is as follows:
US 88,566,961 (+96,702)
India 43,365,016 (+17,419)
Brazil 31,963,736 (+69,231)
France 30,434,451 (+79,852)
Germany 27,573,585 (+119,360)
UK 22,576,354 (+18,269)
Russia 18,409,651 (+3,166)
South Korea 18,305,783 (+7,442)
Italy 18,071,634 (+56,166)
Turkiye 15,085,742 (+no information)
Besides Malaysia, the Southeast Asian nations namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Brunei, have joined the list of 127 countries with more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases.
The cumulative breakdown of Covid-19 cases (+new daily cases) is as follows:-
Vietnam in 12th spot - 10,740,595 (+740)
Indonesia in 19th spot - 6,074,825 (+1,907)
Malaysia in 25th spot - 4,549,847 (+2,796)
Thailand in 26th spot - 4,507,228 (+2,299)
Philippines in 35th spot - 3,698,509 (+716)
Singapore in 52nd spot - 1,390,558 (+6,606)
Myanmar in 81st spot - 613,532 (+11)
Laos in 111th spot - 210,222 (+1)
Brunei in 123rd spot - 158,524 (+no information)
Cambodia in 125th spot - 136,262 (+no information)
Covid-19 background
The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s China country office was informed of cases of pneumonia that were detected in Wuhan on Dec 31, 2019.
On Jan 7, 2020, the Chinese authorities confirmed the newly detected novel coronavirus can be transmitted from human to human.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers-Cov).
A study of the virus’ genetic sequence suggested similarities to that seen in snakes and bats. China health officials identified the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan as the source of the transmission of the coronavirus.
On Feb 11, 2020, WHO announced the official name of the virus, Covid-19, which is an acronym for coronavirus 2019 – CO stands for corona, VI for virus and D for disease.
On Jan 30, 2020, WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global emergency and on March 11, Covid-19 was declared a pandemic.
WHO has described the Covid-19 outbreak as much more dangerous than the A H1N1 Influenza, also known as Swine Flu.
Swine Flu, which occurred between January 2009 and August 2010, infected more than 1.6 million people and caused 18,449 fatalities. It was first detected in Mexico and later in the United States in March 2009.
Covid-19 was detected in Malaysia on Jan 25, 2020, when three Chinese citizens, who entered Malaysia through Johor from Singapore on Jan 23, tested positive for the disease.
New variants of the Covid-19 coronavirus have since emerged in the United Kingdom (identified as B117) in September 2020, South Africa (501Y.V2) in October 2020, and India (B.1.617), also in October 2020.
WHO on Nov 26 designated a new variant of Covid-19, named Omicron, a variant of concern. It was first detected in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Scientists at the IHU have detected a new variant named B.1.640.2 last November, with 46 mutations on its spike protein and nicknamed it IHU.
Meanwhile, Israel confirmed its first case of an individual infected with 'Flurona', a term coined to describe the condition of being infected with Covid-19 and the seasonal flu simultaneously on Jan 2, 2022.
- Bernama
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