KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported a record number of COVID-19 fatalities on Monday (May 24) as well as more than 6,000 new cases for the sixth consecutive day.

All 61 victims were Malaysians, aged 27 to 98. Many of them suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes.

Fifty-five of the victims died in hospital. The health ministry said the remaining six cases were “brought in dead”.

There are also 711 patients in the intensive care unit, another record figure. Of these, 369 require respiratory support.

A total of 2,049 of the 6,509 new cases were found in Selangor.

There were 329 in neighbouring state Negeri Sembilan while both Kuala Lumpur and Johor each reported 468 new cases. Another 530 infections were identified in Sarawak and 384 in Penang.

READ: Malaysia probes allegations of underdosage of COVID-19 shots

READ: 2-hour limit for visits ‘not practical’ to enforce, says Malaysia malls association

 

 

Only 20 of the new cases were imported infections, involving 17 citizens and three foreigners.

Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah also announced that 20 new clusters were formed, bringing the national total of active clusters to 570.

Eight of the new clusters are linked to workplaces, six are in the community and three stemmed from religious gatherings.

The remaining three clusters were traced to an education institution, a dialysis centre in Selangor and crew members of a ship docked at the Port of Johor, Pasir Gudang.

READ: Full lockdown would guarantee safety, but Malaysia’s economy could collapse: Muhyiddin on targeted COVID-19 curbs

READ: More people in Malaysia to work from home, shorter business hours among new COVID-19 curbs during MCO 3.0

 

 

According to the health ministry’s latest forecast, the authorities predict nearly 9,000 new daily infections by early June if COVID-19 safe management measures are not followed.

The health ministry on Monday also reiterated its call for members of the public to stay at home as much as possible for at least two weeks in order to break the COVID-19 chain of transmission.

Those who need to leave their homes for work or to purchase daily necessities should follow the COVID-19 standard operating procedures to protect themselves, said the ministry.

As of Monday, Malaysia reported a total of 518,600 COVID-19 cases, of which 60,018 are currently classified active. The country’s death toll stands at 2,309.

Source: CNA/zl(ta)

KUALA LUMPUR: A new government directive that shoppers can only spend a maximum of two hours in retail premises is “not practical” to enforce, said the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPKM).

This came after the authorities announced on Sunday (May 24) that people should limit their visits to retail premises to two hours. The new rule kicks in on Tuesday.

In a statement on Sunday, the trade body said it fully agreed with limiting shopping time to assist with the tightened movement control measures. However, once shoppers enter a mall, management personnel have no control over where patrons would visit and could not track their movements, said the statement.

Malls could only put up signages at their entrances and common areas, and advise businesses to do the same at their premises, along with announcements to remind shoppers, the statement added.

READ: Record deaths, ICU patients as Malaysia reports more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases for 6th straight day

“Since the outbreak of this pandemic in 2020, our car parking records have shown that shoppers are already spending 1 to 1.5 hours shorter than the norm of average 3 hours,” PPKM said.

“Apart from this, we opine that it is not practical for anyone to stop a shopper asking to check his or her MySejahtera (contact tracing app) to audit the time of entry nor do we have the authority to do so.”

“We do acknowledge that the authorities are aiming for tighter control but again, such measures must both be practical and doable,” the association stated.

On Monday, Minister for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Alexander Nanta Linggi said random enforcement checks would be conducted at popular retail outlets to ensure shoppers abided by the two-hour limit.

The minister told reporters said the onus was on the public to practice self-control and reduce their shopping time, as the ministry had a limited number of enforcement officers.

“For the ministry, we have enforcement officers, over 2,200 across the country, we will focus on concentrated areas which have been identified,” he said.

READ: Malaysia probes allegations of underdosage of COVID-19 shots

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s chief executive officer Joyce Yap said the mall management has regularly informed and reminded shoppers of the latest standard operating procedures (SOPs) via prominent and strategically placed signages.

“Our SOP Mall Ambassadors also deter large congregations in common areas and ensure that precautionary measures such as contract tracing using Myejahtera app, masks and practicing social distancing are adhered to at all times,” Ms Yap said.

Meanwhile, Mr H C Chan, the chief executive officer for Sunway Malls and Theme Parks said while the intention of the two-hour limit was understood, guidance on effective monitoring by the authorities had to be clearer and more practical for malls to implement.

“Both stay duration and human capacity are much lower and within safe levels. We have already worked with our business partners to ensure each shop states the maximum capacity within their shops,” Mr Chan said.

On Saturday, the government announced tighter restrictions that will kick in on May 25 under the current Movement Control Order (MCO 3.0). These include more people being made to work from home, while business operating hours were reduced to between 8am to 8pm, among others.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in an interview on Sunday that a full COVID-19 lockdown with all sectors shut like what was imposed last year would guarantee people’s safety, but there is a risk that the economy could collapse.

On Monday, Malaysia logged 6,509 new COVID-19 cases. There are now more than 500,000 cases nationwide.

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Source: CNA/vt

The Health Ministry reported 6,509 new Covid-19 cases today where Labuan reported record numbers.

A record number of deaths and active cases were also reported, as were a record number of people in intensive care.

• Active cases: 60,018
• Patients in ICU: 711
• Intubated: 369

States

• Selangor (2,049)
• Sarawak (530)
• Kuala Lumpur (468)
• Johor (468)
• Kelantan (451)
• Penang (384)
• Kedah (348)
• Negeri Sembilan (329)
• Malacca (329)
• Terengganu (263)
• Pahang (257)
• Perak (231)
• Sabah (184)
• Labuan (171)
• Putrajaya (40)
• Perlis (7)

Labuan (171) set a new record today. This is the first time Labuan has reported numbers in the triple digits.

Over the 14 days prior, the region only reported 16 new cases on average daily.

In Selangor, one in every seven people who are Covid-19 positive reported symptoms.

Assuming a total population of 6.5 million, one in 38 residents has Covid-19 at some point. The state also leads in Covid-19 deaths (634).

As of yesterday, the R-naught had risen to 1.21 – the highest it has been this year – up from less than 1.00 seen in March.

An R-naught of 1.00 suggests that the spread of Covid-19 was accelerating, the higher the number, the higher the rate of acceleration.

Every single state or territory in Malaysia has an R-naught of more than 1.00. There are no signs that things are getting better anywhere in the country.

Deaths

A record 61 deaths were reported today, bringing the national Covid-19 death toll to 2,309.

Covid-19 deaths are not always reported immediately. It may take several days to establish the cause of death.

The youngest victim was a 27-year-old male in Malacca with another form of illness. In total, 11 out of 61 victims had no comorbidity.

For a detailed breakdown of the reported deaths today, please refer to our Covid-19 tracker site.

Clusters

The Health Ministry is currently monitoring 570 clusters.

There are 20 new clusters of which seven involved workplaces, six involving community spread and three involving religious activities.

Jalan Tengkorak cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Kuala Selangor
Total infected: 8 out of 611 screened

Jalan Bestari Satu cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Klang and Petaling
Total infected: 53 out of 343 screened

Jalan Dato Sellathevan Empat cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Klang
Total infected: 86 out of 247 screened

Wakaf Tembesu cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Terengganu
District(s): Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu and Setiu
Total infected: 21 out of 104 screened

Jalan Todak cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Tengah
Total infected: 13 out of 338 screened

Jalan Perindustrian Bukit Minyak cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Tengah
Total infected: 22 out of 109 screened

Jalan Usaha Tujuh cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Malacca
District(s): Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin
Total infected: 38 out of 156 screened

Industri Pengkalan Balak cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Malacca
District(s): Alor Gajah
Total infected: 146 out of 641 screened

Jalan Akik cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Johor
District(s): Kota Tinggi
Total infected: 18 out of 110 screened

Deluxe cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Sabah
District(s): Penampang and Semporna
Total infected: 12 out of 15 screened

Kampung Padawan cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Sabah
District(s): Papar and Kota Kinabalu
Total infected: 10 out of 154 screened

Kampung Pangkal Payung cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Machang, Kota Bharu and Tanah Merah
Total infected: 9 out of 17 screened

Taman Teratai cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Pahang
District(s): Lipis
Total infected: 35 out of 310 screened

Patau-patau cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Labuan
District(s): Labuan
Total infected: 12 out of 42 screened

Jalan Ehsan Jaya cluster
Category: Religious event
State(s): Johor
District(s): Johor Bahru
Total infected: 14 out of 81 screened

Landai Permai cluster
Category: Religious event
State(s): Kuala Lumpur
District(s): Cheras
Total infected: 23 out of 47 screened

Taman Setia Jaya cluster
Category: Religious event
State(s): Negeri Sembilan
District(s): Seremban and Kuala Pilah
Total infected: 47 out of 66 screened

Kilometer Enam Jalan Lipis cluster
Category: Education Ministry institution
State(s): Pahang and Kuala Lumpur
District(s): Raub, Temerloh, Lipis and Cheras
Total infected: 19 out of 207 screened

Jalan Jed cluster
Category: High-risk Group
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Klang and Kuala Langat
Total infected: 14 out of 85 screened

Dermaga Sembilan cluster
Category: Import
State(s): Johor
District(s): Johor Bahru
Total infected: 19 out of 199 screened

Source:Malaysiakini

COVID-19 | The Health Ministry has registered a new record high of 6,976 Covid-19 cases in a day.

The previous record for most cases in a day was 6,806, which was reported only three days ago, on May 20.

The Health Ministry also reported another 49 new deaths today, bringing the Covid-19 fatalities this week to 346 – the highest number of deaths in any week since the start of the pandemic.

New cases continued to significantly outpace recoveries, contributing to a rise of active cases. A total of 3,587 people recovered today.

Active cases: 57,022
Patients in ICUs: 681
Intubated: 361

The new locally transmitted infections comprised 90.72 percent Malaysians and 9.28 percent non-citizens.

The Klang Valley accounted for 38.9 percent (2712 cases) of new local infections while East Malaysia made up 11.99 percent (836 cases).

Selangor was the largest source of new cases with 2,235, bringing the cumulative number in the state to 167,629.

Sarawak came in second with 663 while Kelantan was third with 626.

Deaths

There were 49 fatalities today, bringing the death toll to 2,248.

The new deaths were recorded in Selangor (14), Johor (8), Penang (6), Malacca (6), Kedah (4), Sarawak (3), Negeri Sembilan (2), Kuala Lumpur (2), Sabah (2), Kelantan (1) and Perlis (1).

There were two young victims today, both of whom were not known to have suffered from any pre-existing chronic diseases.

One was a 25-years-old woman who died at Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail in Batu Pahat, Johor.

Another was a 27-year-old man who died at Serdang Hospital in Selangor.

The remaining deaths were aged between 33 and 93.

For a detailed breakdown of the reported deaths today, please refer to our Covid-19 tracker site.

New cases by states

Selangor (2,235)
Sarawak (663)
Kelantan (626)
Johor (549)
Kuala Lumpur (447)
Negeri Sembilan (434)
Kedah (422)
Pulau Pinang (372)
Perak (279)
Terengganu (266)
Pahang (263)
Malacca (209)
Sabah (136)
Labuan (37)
Putrajaya (30)
Perlis (8)

Clusters

A total of 556 out of 2,025 clusters are still active. This includes the 24 new clusters reported today.

The majority of new clusters remain workplace-related but community-based clusters and those involving religious events are also on the rise.

Details of the new clusters are as follows:

Jalan Kempas Dua
Category: Workplace
State(s): Johor
District(s): Muar
Total infected: 68 out of 118 screened

Persiaran Cassia Selatan Dua
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Selatan
Total infected: 56 out of 112 screened

Jalan Bukit Puchong
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Petaling
Total infected: 38 out of 102 screened

Jalan Enam Selatan
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Negeri Sembilan
District(s): Sepang, Kuala Langat, Petaling, Cheras, Putrajaya, Seremban, Rembau and Port Dickson
Total infected: 31 out of 110 screened

Industri Bukit Minyak
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Tengah
Total infected: 28 out of 143 screened

Kemuning Tujuh
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Klang and Petaling
Total infected: 26 out of 86 screened

Jalan Kilang Ubi
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Tengah
Total infected: 16 out of 110 screened

Jalan Perindustrian Lima
Category: Workplace
State(s): Johor
District(s): Muar
Total infected: 15 out of 87 screened

Bandar Jalan Putra
Category: Workplace
State(s): Pahang
District(s): Kuantan
Total infected: 13 out of 161 screened

Simpang Juasseh
Category: Community
State(s): Negeri Sembilan
District(s): Jempol, Kuala Pilah and Seremban
Total infected: 54 out of 174 screened

Jarum Laut
Category: Community
State(s): Johor
District(s): Tangkak
Total infected: 38 out of 84 screened

Bukit Temedak
Category: Community
State(s): Sarawak
District(s): Pakan
Total infected: 30 out of 88 screened

Kampung Paroh
Category: Community
State(s): Terengganu
District(s): Besut
Total infected: 26 out of 314 screened

Jalan Mangga
Category: Community
State(s): Sabah
District(s): Kota Kinabalu
Total infected: 14 out of 108 screened

Kampung Jakar
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Machang
Total infected: 10 out of 21 screened

Taman Sourabaya Indah
Category: Community
State(s): Sarawak
District(s): Kuching
Total infected: 9 out of 34 screened

Kampung Panggong
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Pasir Puteh
Total infected: 8 out of 21 screened

Permai Sejahtera
Category: Religious event
State(s): Pahang
District(s): Lipis and Kuantan
Total infected: 71 out of 1,035 screened

Terendak Permai
Category: Religious event
State(s): Malacca
District(s): Melaka Tengah
Total infected: 27 out of 220 screened

Dah Seri Perigi
Category: Religious event
State(s): Kedah
District(s): Yan
Total infected: 21 out of 58 screened

Taman Majupadu

Category: Religious event
State(s): Johor
District(s): Kluang
Total infected: 15 out of 56 screened

Jalan Desa Satu
Category: Religious event
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Kuala Selangor
Total infected: 12 out of 135 screened

Parit Dato Onn
Category: Religious event
State(s): Johor
District(s): Pontian
Total infected: 11 out of 351 screened

Jalan Temiang
Category: High-risk group
State(s): Negeri Sembilan
District(s): Seremban
Total infected: 13 out of 120 screened

Source:Malaysiakini