OFFICES

– Malaysiakini Headquarters, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

A Malaysiakini non-editorial staff member had tested positive for Covid-19.

Following this, Malaysiakini has instructed employees identified as close contacts to get tested and quarantine themselves for 14 days. Those identified as secondary contacts have also been told to self-quarantine and get tested after two weeks.

This would affect largely the membership team and several administrative staff members. Most of Malaysiakini’s editorial team members are working from home.

The Malaysiakini office is closed temporarily for sanitisation.

Malaysiakini‘s reception will be closed from 4pm today.

Those who wish to make subscription enquiries can call 017-3230707

– Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accounts (Micpa), Jalan Medan Tuanku, Kuala Lumpur

An employee tested positive for Covid-19, Micpa said in a notice on Jan 5.

The office is closed until Jan 12 for sanitation and other staff will continue to work from home in this period, it said.

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BUSINESSES

– Coach outlet, The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur

An employee of this outlet tested positive for Covid-19 on Jan 2, according to a notice issued by the apparels company.

It said the employee chose to get tested after learning that several positive cases were detected in his residential area.

Following this, Coach has arranged for disinfection of the store, and for a fresh team to handle its operations.

The outlet’s other employees who had close contact with the employee in question also took Covid-19 tests, which were all negative so far.

– Bar B Restaurant, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

A Malaysiakini staff member who tested positive for Covid-19 had dinner at the restaurant with the membership department from 6pm to 11pm.

The restaurant has been informed.

– Village Grocer 1 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

The management of this outlet yesterday notified that one of its staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

It said that the employee last reported to work on Jan 4 and all other staff members identified as close contacts will undergo swab tests and home quarantine.

The store has undergone sanitisation.

– Johor Bahru City Square, Johor Bahru, Johor

The management of this shopping mall posted a notice on Facebook yesterday, saying that a Covid-19 case has been detected at the premises.

It said the case involved an employee of Gong Cha tea drink franchisee outlet located at Level 3 of the mall, who was tested positive on Tuesday.

The outlet is closed until further notice.

– Lulu Hypermarket, Off Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kuala Lumpur

This hypermarket is closed until further notice starting today due to Covid-19.

According to a notice of closure posted on its premises, the order was issued by the Lembah Pantai district health office earlier today.

When contacted, its management said they have yet to get instruction on reopening of the hypermarket.

– Cozy House Restaurant, Wisma Golden Eagle Realty, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

The restaurant management posted a notice on its premises saying that they will be closed temporarily until further notice beginning Jan 6.

This came after an employee of the restaurant was tested positive for Covid-19 a day before.

However, it stated that the said employee had not come to work since Dec 25, 2020.

– 33 Blue Room, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

This dining outlet located at Zon Perindustrian PJCT notified customers in a Facebook posting that they are closed temporarily after an employee was tested positive for Covid-19 today.

The management said that they are working closely with authorities in contact tracing, quarantine of close contacts and sanitisation, among others.

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RESIDENCES

– Urbana Residences, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Five residents were confirmed positive for Covid-19 between Jan 1 and 5.

In a notice on Tuesday, the management said the first two cases were detected at Block B and Block C on Jan 1 and 3, respectively. Three residents at Block A were found positive two days later.

The management has carried out disinfection in all common areas.

– United Point Residences, Taman Segambut Aman, Kuala Lumpur

A resident has been tested positive for Covid-19, said a notice issued by the condominium management yesterday.

Following this, they have conducted disinfection in all common areas including elevators and lift lobbies.

– Various localities in Kedah

The Kedah State Health Department issued a statement listing locations in the state which recorded new positive cases as of noon yesterday (Jan 6).

It divided the list into eight according to districts.

The affected locations are as follows:

Kota Setar district: Kampung Berjaya (one case), Taman Mas Merah (two cases)

Kulim district: Kampung Keda Bagan Sena (two cases)

Kuala Muda district: Taman Bunga Raya (two cases), Taman Keladi (three cases), Taman Bandar Baru (one case), Taman Mesra Indah (one case), Kampung Telur Wang (one case), Kampung Simpor Besar (three cases), Kampung Baru Sungai Pasir (two cases), Lagenda Heights (one case)

Baling district: Taman Desa Anggerik (one case), Kampung Lanai (four cases)

Kubang Pasu district: Taman Muhibah (one case)

Padang Terap district: Kampung Baru Naka (one case)

Yan: Kampung Sungai Lintang (one case)

Bandar Baharu: Taman Kenanga (one case)

– Riana Green Condominium

The management of this condominium issued a notice to residents today, saying that three Covid-19 positive cases have been detected at the residential complex so far.

It stated that there have been one case reported each at Block E, Block F and Block H.

The management also advised close contacts of the cases to practise self-isolation until they receive further instructions from the Health Ministry.

– Sri Bukit Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur

The management of Sri Bukit Persekutuan, an affluent neighbourhood in the city centre, issued a notice to residents today that one resident has been tested positive for Covid-19.

It said that the case was reported yesterday at the Semi-Detached/Townhouse area within Sri Bukit Persekutuan.

Residents are urged to limit the number of their visitors.

– The Holmes, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

A resident at this condominium located on Jalan Bakti was found positive for Covid-19, said a notice dated Jan 5 issued by its management.

The management has arranged for cleaning and sanitisation of the affected common areas.

– Villa Flora Condominium, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

A resident at this condominium has been tested positive for Covid-19, said a notice issued by its management today.

All residents are advised to follow SOPs provided by authorities, practice personal hygiene, and seek immediate medical advice should they show any symptoms for the virus.

– Jalan Beka, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur

Several members of a household have tested positive for Covid-19 while another member is still waiting to be tested.

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EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

– Mahsa University main campus, Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor

A staff member of the university has been tested positive for Covid-19.

This was confirmed by Mahsa University executive chairman Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah, who said the affected staff member has been taken to hospital while others identified as close contacts have taken swab tests and are currently under self-quarantine.

“On whether the university is to close down, we posed the same question to the Health Ministry and they have advised that we don’t have to. We have to merely sanitize the necessary areas and offices where the staff was,” he said in a text message.

The university currently has no day scholars as most students are studying virtually.

Haniffa said Mahsa’s Open Day this weekend will continue as they have planned for it to be done virtually, as per the university’s practice since Covid-19 pandemic started last year.

Source : From Malaysiakini

COVID-19 | The Health Ministry today reported 3,027 new Covid-19 cases and eight deaths over the past 24 hours.

Johor (1,103) reported more cases than the entire of the Klang Valley (1,039).

Most of the new cases in Johor are attributed to the Bukit Pasir cluster (779 new cases, 1,379 in total) which started in the Muar district and has spread to the Sik district in Kedah. 

Little else is known about this cluster aside from that it is a workplace cluster and at the time it was announced (Dec 28), it involved only locals. 

Meanwhile, according to the Selangor Health Department, there were 33 new cases in the state which were detected among those suffering from severe acute respiratory illness (Sari) and 49 cases that were detected with other symptoms. 

This represents a dramatic increase from numbers reported in previous weeks. These cases are not linked to close contacts or existing clusters.

The Health Ministry did not hold a press conference today but one is scheduled for tomorrow. RT-PCT capacity and test numbers are only revealed during press conferences.

Leading indicators:

• Active cases: 25,742 ↑ (1,395 more than the previous day, new record)
  
• Patients in ICU: 142 ↑ (One more than the previous day, record-high)
  
• Intubated patients: 63 ↓ (Four less than the previous day)
  
• Deaths: 8

New cases by states at a glance:

Johor (1,103)
Existing clusters: 893
New clusters: 57 (Senai Murni)
Close contact: 93
Imported: 3
Other screenings: 57

Selangor (706)
Existing clusters: 168
New clusters: 64
Close contact: 332
Other screenings: 142

Sabah (493)
Existing clusters: 8
New clusters: 363
Close contact: 121
Other screenings:

Kuala Lumpur (316)
Existing clusters: 18
New clusters: 118 (Tapak Bina Jalan Ipoh, Desa Setapak and Jalan Raya)
Close contact: 89
Imported: 2
Other screenings: 89

Penang (111)
Existing clusters: 85
Close contact: 8
Other screenings: 18

Kelantan (66)
Existing clusters: 12
Close contact: 46
Other screenings: 8

Negeri Sembilan (63)
Existing clusters: 23
Close contact: 26
Other screenings: 14

Perak (59)
Existing clusters: 35
Close contact: 20
Other screenings: 4

Kedah (30)
Existing clusters: 17
Close contact: 7
Other screenings: 6

Pahang (25)
Existing clusters: 6
Close contact: 18
Other screenings: 1

Putrajaya (17)
Existing clusters: 2
Close contact: 11
Other screenings: 4

Sarawak (14)
Existing clusters: 1
New clusters: 5 (Keranji Tabuan)
Imported: 1
Other screenings: 7

Malacca (11)
Existing clusters: 2
Close contact: 5
Other screenings: 4

Terengganu (10)
Existing clusters: 6
Other screenings: 4

Labuan (3)
Close contact: 1
Other screenings: 2

Deaths

The eight deaths reported were spread across the country. The national cumulative death toll stands at 521. 

Details of the deceased are as follows: 

‘Patient 74,949’ – male, 56, passed away at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor.

‘Patient 99,823’ – male, 56, passed away at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor. Categorised as a case from Kuala Lumpur.

‘Patient 110,291’ – female, 78, passed away at the Penang General Hospital.

‘Patient 121,311’ – female, 81, passed away at the Ampang Hospital, Selangor.

‘Patient 121,694’ – female, 79, passed away at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor.

‘Patient 122,110’ – male, 83, passed away at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, Negeri Sembilan. 

‘Patient 122,845’ – male, 38, passed away at the Serdang Hospital, Selangor.

‘Patient 121,201’ – foreign female, 60, passed away at the Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sabah. 

Clusters

The Health Ministry today also classified nine new clusters.

The Senai Murni cluster involved targeted screening at a workplace in Kulai, Johor. There are 66 cases in this cluster.

The Tapak Bina Hartamas cluster involved a construction site in the Hulu Langat district in Selangor. There are 48 cases in this cluster.

The Damai Pelangi cluster involves a detention facility also at Hulu Selangor in Selangor. The index case was detected on Dec 18 after screening of detainees and there are 21 cases so far.

The Tapak Bina Jalan Ipoh cluster involved a construction site in the Kepong district, Kuala Lumpur with 98 cases so far.

The Rungkup cluster also involved the Kepong district in Kuala Lumpur where the index case was diagnosed on Jan 1 after reporting symptoms. There are 20 cases in this cluster.

The Desa Setapak cluster involved the Titiwangsa district in Kuala Lumpur where the index case was diagnosed on Jan 2 after reporting symptoms. There are 15 cases in this cluster.

The Jalan Jaya cluster in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur involved an index case who was diagnosed on Jan 1 after reporting symptoms. There are seven cases in this cluster.

The Ziarah Putra cluster involved an index case in Putrajaya who tested positive on Jan 4 after reporting symptoms. There are seven cases in this cluster.

The Keranji Tabuan cluster involved the Kuching district in Sarawak where the index case tested positive on Jan 5 after reporting symptoms. There are six cases in this cluster.

Source : From Malaysiakini

We the undersigned view with much apprehension and concern the current status of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Our national metrics paint a very bleak picture of Covid-19 pandemic management. Despite movement control orders (MCOs) and other health interventions, the daily reported cases are not decreasing.

The Cumulative Incidence Density (per 100,000 population) and the Infection Rate (active cases per 1,000 population) is not flattening, with the latest national Infection Rate registered at 0.879 per 1,000 population, meaning between eight and nine persons are actively infected for every 10,000 people.

The testing positive rate (rolling seven-day average) is rising, registering 8.9 percent on Jan 3, 2021, well above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 5.0 percent benchmark of effective pandemic control and containment.

Kindly allow us to propose 10 urgent and critical actions lest Malaysia slips into Covid-19 intensive care.

1. To ramp up testing with triaged, mass and frequent testing regimen, utilising inexpensive rapid testing kits (RTK-Ag), instead of PCR, to help to slow the transmission of Covid-19.

2. Early RTK-Ag diagnosis of cases within 24 hours would enable rapid isolation of cases and facilitate prompt contact tracing.

3. Automating contact tracing with digital apps would hasten the tracking process while leveraging data science and machine learning can identify the hotspots in the nation for targeted screening. Only this Find-Test-Trace-Isolate (FTTI) rapid response will bust the Covid-19 clusters and mitigate the sporadic spread of the coronavirus.

4. In anticipation of the increasing Covid-19 cases and to protect the healthcare capacity, we advocate that clinical stage One and Two cases be isolated at home with clear guidelines from the Ministry of Health. Their wellbeing can be tracked daily with digital apps, supported by empowering the local community and urgent transfers to Covid-19 hospitals organised for cases that deteriorate.

5. We must protect the excellent work of our medical professionals in the Covid-19 hospitals by decanting all non-Covid-19 cases to non-Covid-19 government and private hospitals. This will allow them to focus on the sickest cases and not be distracted by asymptomatic and mild Covid cases, thus ensuring the best outcomes.

6. Support industries, the engine of our economic growth, with creative measures to mitigate the 3Cs. The POIS initiative (Preventing and early detection of Outbreaks at Ignition Sites) is a tripartite government, private sector and NGO partnership which emphasises early detection testing regime, enhances public health measures and health education of industry and migrant workers. This POIS initiative developed in consultation with industry and WHO can be replicated elsewhere as a public health operational tool, truly embracing a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

7. Similar initiatives must be developed for the other hotspots of Covid-19 outbreaks, namely the prison and detention centres.

8. Expedite the regulatory processes so that immunisation can begin as soon as the first doses of vaccines arrive at the airport. Debunking Covid-19 and vaccine disinformation would empower our rakyat with informed consent when the Covid-19 vaccines arrive. Apart from prioritising the high-risk groups, seriously consider vaccinating migrant workers to protect our industries and the refugee community who are silent epicentres of Covid-19 outbreaks. The cost of the vaccines must be capped at less than RM100 per dose for those getting their shots privately and, by extension, the rapid test kits must be capped at less than RM100 per test to ensure more affordable and wider coverage and uptake of both vaccines and rapid testing.

9. A Covid-19 Task Force comprising a cross-sectoral and empowered team of subject matter experts must be immediately formed to provide evidence-based advice on a harmonised whole-of-government response across ministries and agencies. The Covid-19 Task Force will help steer the nation out of this pandemic by regularly presenting its recommendations and audit of the health economic impact of key decisions to the cabinet. To ensure independence of the Covid-19 Task Force, the Malaysian Medical Association, Academy of Medicine Malaysia, Malaysian Public Health Physicians’ Association and Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia are best positioned to select the members.

10. Do not politicise the pandemic but instead secure a bipartisan consensus and approach to flatten the pandemic curve, accelerate efforts to achieve herd immunity as a form of community protection to co-exist with the coronavirus. The GE15 in the midst of an uncontained pandemic is an unmitigated disaster waiting to happen as the Sabah state election has exemplified.

This is the back-to-basics public health management of a pandemic which we trust the prime minister will consider urgently and seriously to mitigate the devastating consequences of the pandemic, protect the lives and livelihoods of our rakyat and to reset our economic recovery.

This open letter is endorsed by the following individuals in alphabetical order:

1. Dr Abu Bakar Suleiman (former director-general of health).

2. Prof Dr Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman (secretary-general, Federation of Islamic Medical Associations).

3. Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman (professor of Medicine, Universiti Malaya).

4. Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit (deputy vice-chancellor and consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak).

5. Dr Ahmad Munawar Helmi bin Salim (immediate past chairperson, Islamic Medical Association Response & Relief Team).

6. Dr Azhar Abdul Aziz (consultant emergency physician).

7. Dr Amar-Singh HSS (consultant paediatrician).

8. Prof Dr Azizi Haji Omar (past president Malaysian Paediatric Association).

9. Dr Christopher Lee (former deputy director-general of health (research & technical support).

10. Dr Dhesi Baha Raja (consultant public health physician & chief medical & innovation officer of Ainqa Health).

11. Dr Gunasegaran PT Rajan (past president, Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Malaysia).

12. Dr Hung Liang Choo (president, Malaysian Paediatric Association).

13. Dr Jahizah Hassan (president, College of Anaesthesiologists).

14. Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan (immediate past president, Islamic Medical Association Malaysia).

15. Dr Johari Bux (past president, Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia).

16. Emeritus Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram (former United Nations assistant secretary-general).

17. Dr Khor Swee Kheng (independent consultant, health systems and policies, consultant in health policies, and Malaysian Health Coalition).

18. Dr Kuljit (president, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia).

19. Dr Lim Teck Onn (former director, clinical research centre MOH).

20. Prof Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman (pro-vice-chancellor (research) International

Medical University and former deputy director-general of health).

21. Dr Mary Suma Cardosa (past president, Malaysian Medical Association).

22. Dr Milton Lum (past president, MMA and Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association Malaysia).

23. Asst Prof Dr Mohammad Farhan Rusli (consultant public health physician, International Islamic Universiti Malaysia).

24. Prof Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom (president, Malaysian Society of Psychospiritual Therapy).

25. Dr Mohammad Iqbal Sarwar (consultant paediatrician, KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital).

26. Dr Mohamed Namazie Ibrahim (past president, Malaysian Medical Association).

27. Dr Muhamad Yusri Musa (president, Islamic Medical Association Malaysia).

28. Dr Musa Mohd Nordin (chairperson, advisory council, Federation of Islamic Medical Associations).

29 Dr Narimah Awin (former director of Family Health Development).

30. Prof Dr Norlisah Mohd Ramli (president, College of Radiology of Malaysia).

31. Associate Prof Dr Pang Yong Kek (respiratory consultant, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre).

32. Prof Dr Roslina Abdul Manap (scribe, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia).

33. Prof Dr Rosmawati Mohamed (master, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia).

34. Dr Sevellaraja Supermaniam (past president, Asia Pacific Association of Gynaecological Endoscopy and OGSM).

35. Shariah Asiah (president, Malaysian Nursing Association).

36. Dr Sivamohan Namasivayam (board member, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia).

37. Dr Steven Chow (president, Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association Malaysia).

38. Prof Dr Subramaniam Muniandy (president, Malaysian Medical Association).

39. Dr Tang Boon Nee (past president, Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society Malaysia).

40. Dr Teoh Siang Chin (past president, Malaysian Medical Association, former Melaka state health director).

41. Prof Dr Wan Ariffin Abdullah (past president, Malaysian Paediatric Association).

42. Dr Yap Wei Aun (consultant public health physician).

43. Dr Yolanda Augustin (oncologist and healthcare activist, St George’s University of London).

44. Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar (president, Malaysian Public Health Physicians’Association).

45 Dr Zainudin Md Zin (chairperson Lung Foundation of Malaysia, past president of College of Physicians Malaysia).

46. Dr Zulkifli Ismail (secretary-general, Asia Pacific Pediatric Association).

Source : From Malaysiakini