The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the federal government to publicise dedicated suicide prevention hotlines from government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to create more awareness on the menace amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement today, CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader (photo, above) addressed concerns on the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health as suicide cases in Malaysia had increased since the beginning of the movement control order (MCO).

Quoting statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police, he said 266 people had committed suicide between March 18 and Oct 30, which is an average of one suicide case daily.

“Within the same period, the Covid-19 death count in Malaysia (including foreign nationalities) was 249.

“It is not a good sign if the number of suicide cases is almost equal or more than those who died from Covid-19,” Mohideen said.

He said debt problems were the largest contributing factor to the suicide cases in Malaysia, followed by family issues and domestic disputes.

He also said behavioural modifications to adapt to the new norm, such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks and avoidance of crowded places, could also be one of the toughest psychological challenges.

“The government should help to disseminate the required information in preventing suicide in the widest and most accessible way, rather than depending on the printed media, which has a limited reach,” Mohideen added.

– Bernama

Source ： From https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/554214

COVID-19 | The Health Ministry reported 1,600 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths as of noon today.

Negeri Sembilan reported the most number of cases (541 cases or 33.8 percent) followed by Selangor (26.6 percent) and Sabah (15.5 percent).

Most of the new cases (500) in Negeri Sembilan were from the Bakti cluster, which involved a prison. 

However, the Klang Valley region as a whole (Selangor and Kuala Lumpur) had the most number of cases in the country (574 cases or 35.8 percent).

In Selangor, close to two-thirds or 276 out of 426 new cases were detected through “other screenings”, which is an umbrella term for screenings on people with symptoms, pre-surgery screening, workplace screenings and pre-departure screenings, among others.

In Kuala Lumpur, 60 out of 148 new cases (40 percent) were detected in the same way.

The Health Ministry also announced that there were 187 active Covid-19 clusters in the country, of which 51 reported new cases.

The largest number of new cases from clusters were from the aforementioned Bakti cluster (500 cases) followed by the Batu Tujuh (53) and Tembok cluster (49).

The Batu Tujuh cluster involved the Batu Pahat and Johor Bahru districts in Johor. Little is known of the nature of this cluster. The Tembok cluster involved a jail in Kedah.

Two new clusters were identified today. The Malawati cluster involved the Kuala Selangor district in Selangor. There are 14 cases attributed to this cluster so far, where the index case was diagnosed on Dec 7 after reporting symptoms.

The Tapak Bina Awan Lembah cluster involved the Lembah Pantai and Titiwangsa districts in Kuala Lumpur as well as the Klang district in Selangor. There are 35 cases attributed to this cluster so far. There are two index cases who were detected through workplace screening.

Leading indicators:

• Active cases: 11,604 ↑ (565 more than the previous day)
• Patients in ICU: 129 ↑ (3 more than the previous day)
• Intubated patients: 57 (Unchanged)
• Deaths: 2

[For 14-day cumulative new cases count at mukim (locality) level, click here. For details of new cases by clusters, click here. There may be delays to updates by the respective state health departments.]

Two deaths were reported in Sabah. The cumulative Covid-19 death toll for Sabah has reached 220 or 57.3 percent of the national total (384).

Details of the two victims – both Malaysians with comorbidities – are as follows:

Patient 35,800 – female, 76, passed away at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.

Patient 71,551 – male, 59, passed away at the Semporna Hospital.

Of the 1,600 new cases today, three were imported. A breakdown of the locally-transmitted cases are as follows:

Negeri Sembilan (541)

• Existing clusters: 521
• Close contact: 13
• Other screenings: 7

Selangor (426)

• Existing clusters: 44
• New cluster (Malawati): 5
• Close contact: 99
• Imported: 2
• Other screenings: 276

Sabah (248)

• Existing clusters: 61
• Close contact: 124
• Other screenings: 63

Kuala Lumpur (148)

• Existing clusters: 37
• New cluster (Tapak Bina Awan Lembah): 33
• Close contact: 18
• Other screenings: 60

Johor (98)

• Existing clusters: 75
• Close contact: 11
• Other screenings: 12

Penang (55)

• Existing clusters: 45
• Close contact: 6
• Other screenings: 4

Perak (54)

• Existing clusters: 48
• Close contact: 3
• Other screenings: 3

Kedah (18)

• Existing clusters: 12
• Close contact: 3
• Other screenings: 3

Labuan (5)

• Existing clusters: 3
• Close contact: 1
• Other screenings: 1

Kelantan (3)

• Existing clusters: 3

Sarawak (2)

• Close contact: 1
• Imported: 1

Pahang (1)

• Existing cluster: 1

Malacca (1)

• Existing cluster: 1

Source : From https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/554214

KINILENS | About 40 boys between the age of five and 12 took part in a mass circumcision event during the school holiday in Gombak. 

This year’s event is less festive than past years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Children donned masks, while doctors performing the circumcision also wore face masks. 

For many Muslims especially in Malaysia, circumcision is a rite of passage for boys, marking the start of their transition out of boyhood. 

– Photos by AZNEAL ISHAK

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Source : From https://www.malaysiakini.com/undefined/554122