WASHINGTON: Vaccination of about 88 per cent of Americans who received the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines was complete, a study of over 12 million people by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed.

Both vaccines, among the firsts to receive US emergency use authorisation, require two shots. The vaccines’ high efficacy is based on trials with interval between the shots of 21 days for Pfizer-BioNTech and 28 days for and Moderna’s vaccine.

According to the analysis, about 3 per cent of people in the United States who received the first dose of either of the vaccines did not get the second dose needed to complete vaccination, the agency said on Monday.

The agency said 8.6 per cent had not received the second dose, but were still within the allowable interval to receive it.

The analysis was conducted in 58 jurisdictions in the United States among people who got their first shot between Dec 14 and Feb 14. The data was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on Monday.

A second analysis of 14.2 million people who have received the second dose showed that 95.6 per cent received the dose on time, the agency said.

The CDC considered a second shot on time, or within the recommended interval, if it was given within 17-25 days after the first dose for Pfizer-BioNTech, and 24-32 days for Moderna vaccine.

Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, have stretched the time period between doses to months rather than weeks in order to vaccinate more people as they deal with supply shortfalls. US public health officials have said they do not intend to make any changes in their recommendations.

Source :channelnewsasia

The Health Ministry today reported 1,208 new Covid-19 cases with Selangor dropping to numbers not seen since early December last year.

Malaysians made up the bulk of the new cases (76.7 percent), primarily in the Klang Valley, followed by Sarawak and Penang. 

Aside from Sarawak and Penang, new cases in other areas are trending downwards over a 28 day period. 

• Active cases: 15,511
• Patients in ICUs: 147
• Intubated: 61

Deaths

The three new Covid-19 deaths reported today were located in Selangor, Sarawak and Johor. 

The country’s Covid-19 death toll stands at 1,213.

Clusters

The Health Ministry reported that there are 431 active Covid-19 clusters of which 56 reported new cases.

No cluster had more than 29 new cases.

There were 13 new clusters classified by the Health Ministry today of which five were discovered through targeted screening of workplaces while eight others were discovered only after a person reported Covid-19 symptoms.

Notably, the Jalan Sekerat cluster was linked to a religious event in Sungai Petani, Kedah, which has resulted in 17 people contracting Covid-19.

In what is likely the first holiday destination cluster since the inter-district travel ban was lifted, the Kampung Air Batang cluster has led to 15 individuals contracting Covid-19 and was only discovered after someone had symptoms.

Details of the other clusters are as follows:

Sungai Puloh cluster
District(s): Klang, Selangor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Sungai Puloh
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 10, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 18 out of 103 screened

Batu Tiga Lama cluster
District(s): Petaling and Kuala Selangor, Selangor
Locality/Source: Workers’ housing in Batu Tiga, Kampung Baru Subang
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: Fev 26, targeted screening
Total infected: 20 out of 221 screened

Perusahaan Amari cluster
District(s): Gombak, Selangor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Perusahaan Amari, Kawasan Industri Batu Caves
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 12, targeted screening
Total infected: 8 out of 24 screened

Jalan Mega Lima cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Mega 1/5, Taman Perindustrian Nusa Cemerlang, Gelang Patah
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 15, targeted screening
Total infected: 22 out of 89 screened

Jalan Delima cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Delima 12, Taman Cahaya Masai
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 13, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 21 out of 80 screened

Batu 19 cluster
District(s): Kulai and Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Government office in Batu 19, Jalan Air Hitam
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 11, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 9 out of 57 screened

Jalan Tanjung cluster
District(s): Bintulu, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Supermarket in Jalan Tanjung
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 13, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 19 out of 127 screened

Industri Gunung Mas cluster
District(s): Tampin and Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan
Locality/Source: Factory in Industri Kecil Gunung Mas, Taman Gunung Mas
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 13, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 32 out of 188 screened

Jalan Lapan Belas cluster
District(s): Cheras, Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan 12/118B, Desa Tun Razak
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 11, targeted screening
Total infected: 7 out of 15 screened

Tapak Bina Meha cluster
District(s): Kulim, Kedah
Locality/Source: Construction site in Padang Meha, Padang Serai,
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 14, targeted screening
Total infected: 10 out of 78 screened

Kampung Air Batang cluster
District(s): Rompin, Pahang
Locality/Source: Resort in Tioman
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 12, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 15 out of 27 screened

Chendering Height cluster
District(s): Marang and Kuala Nerus, Terengganu
Locality/Source: Residential area in Taman Chendering Heights
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 14, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 10 out of 132 screened

Jalan Sekerat cluster
District(s): Kuala Muda and Kulim, Kedah
Locality/Source: Meeting at Jalan Sekerat, Sungai Petani
Cluster category: Religious event
First case: March 7, targeted screening

Total infected: 17 out of 52 screened https://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source: Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry reported 1,354 new cases of Covid-19 today and four deaths.

Kuala Lumpur reported 55 cases today, the lowest since Dec 3 (49).

Selangor, meanwhile, reported 577 new cases.

Perlis also reported no news cases after a two-day spike caused by infections linked to an immigration detention centre cluster.

• Active cases: 16,279
• Patients in ICUs: 158
• Intubated: 71

Deaths

The latest fatalities bring the national death toll to 1,210.

Three of the deaths were from the Klang Valley, while one was from Sarawak.

One of the casualties was a 27-year-old who suffered from leukaemia and transverse myelitis.

Clusters

There were three new clusters today.

No clusters reported triple-digit cases, with the highest being the Tembok Tapah cluster with 57 cases.

Details on the new clusters:

Jalan Tun Mutalib Tiga cluster
District(s): Kota Tinggi, Johor
Locality/Source: Jalan Tun Mutalib 3, Kawasan Perindustrian, Bandar Tenggara
Cluster category: Workplace (factory)
First case: March 5, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 10 out of 469 screened

Jalan Sutera cluster
District(s): Hulu Langat, Selangor
Locality/Source: Jalan Sutera 1/5A, Bukit Angkat, Kajang
Cluster category: Workplace (factory)
First case: March 10, targeted screening
Total infected: 8 out of 26 screened

Begalak cluster
District(s): Sibu and Song, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Sungai Begalak, Batang Rajang, Song
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 10, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 49 out of 335 screenedhttps://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source:Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry today reported 1,470 new cases of Covid-19, and three deaths.

Most new cases still originated from the Klang Valley (48.2 percent), followed by Sarawak (15.1 percent), Penang (12.1 percent), and Johor (6.8 percent).

Perlis continued to record more than 20 cases for a second straight day due to new infections from the DTI Persiaran Wawasan cluster, which is linked to an immigration detention depot.

While active cases declined, there were 15 additional patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and three more intubated today.

• Active cases: 16,711
• Patients in ICUs: 162
• Intubated: 70

Clusters

Two new clusters were reported today, while 16 came to an end.

Both new clusters were workplace-related, of which one was a daycare centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Details of the new clusters are as follows:

Jalan Mega Cemerlang cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Jalan Mega 1/6, Taman Perindustrian Nusa Cemerlang, Nusajaya
Cluster category: Workplace (factory)
First case: March 9, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 19 out of 54 screened

Jalan Pria cluster
District(s): Titiwangsa and Cheras, Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: Jalan Pria 4, Taman Maluri
Cluster category: Workplace (daycare)
First case: March 9, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 10 out of 37 screenedhttps://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source:Malaysiakini

| The Health Ministry today reported 1,575 new Covid-19 cases, of which more than half were reported in the Klang Valley alone.

The Klang Valley accounted for 54.8 percent of new cases followed by Sarawak (11 percent), Johor (8.6 percent) and Penang (8.4 percent).

Notably, there were 25 new cases reported in Perlis today. 

Malaysian citizens (80.9 percent) made up almost all the new cases.

• Active cases: 17,074
• Patients in ICUs: 147
• Intubated: 67

Deaths

Three new deaths were reported today, bringing the national Covid-19 death toll to 1,203.

The three victims are from Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Selangor respectively. One victim – a foreigner – was brought to the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital in , Cheras, Kuala Lumpur only after he had died. 

Five community clusters

The Health Ministry today said that 440 active Covid-19 clusters of which 60 reported new cases.

The three clusters with the most new cases are all in the low two digits, which is a far cry from previous weeks which are normally in the triple digits.

However, of the ten new clusters classified by the Health Ministry today, there were five community clusters, while the rest were detected through targeted screening of workplaces.

Three of the community clusters were reported in Sarawak and two in Selangor.

Meanwhile, the naming Jalan Laksamana cluster would suggest that this cluster had something to do with the navy. This cluster has spread across the country, including east Malaysia.

Jalan Industri Dua cluster
District(s): Gombak, Selangor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Industri 2/1, Rawang
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 12, targeted screening
Total infected: 18 out of 29 screened

Jalan Pelepas Dua cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Construction company in Jalan Pelepas 2/3, Tanjung Pelepas
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 9, targeted screening
Total infected: 12 out of 50 screened

Lintang Bayan Lepas cluster
District(s): Timur Laut and Barat Daya, Pulau Pinang
Locality/Source: Factory in Lintang Bayan Lepas 6, Zon Perindustrian Bebas Bayan Lepas
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: Feb 25, targeted screening
Total infected: 59 out of 687 screened

Jalan Laksamana cluster
District(s): Timur Laut in Penang; Manjung and Kuala Kangsar, Perak; Lemvbah Pantai and Kepong in Kuala Lumpur; Kota Belud in Sabah;Bachok in Kelantan; Kuala Nerus in Terengganu
Locality/Source: Unspecified training in Manjung, Perak
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 3, screened while crossing state borders
Total infected: 23 out of 59 screened

Ladang Bukit cluster
District(s): Marang, Dungun, Kuala Terengganu amd Kemaman, Terengganu
Locality/Source: Mining company in Ladang Bukit Tengah, Kerteh,
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 10, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 15 out of 157 screened

Sena cluster
District(s): Miri and Subis, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Lorong Sena 1A, Lutong
Cluster category: Community
First case: Feb 25, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 61 out of 166 screened

Jalan Main Bazaar cluster
District(s): Sri Aman, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Jalan Main Bazaar, Kampung Hulu
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 2, pre-medical procedure screening
Total infected: 12 out of 133 screened

Buloh Pasi cluster
District(s): Meradong, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Sungai Buloh, Bintangor, Meradong
Cluster category: Community
First case: Feb 20, pre-employment screening
Total infected: 21 out of 267 screened

Jalan Tempua cluster
District(s): Hulu Selangor, Selangor
Locality/Source: Jalan Tempua 1A, Taman Bestari, Hulu Langat
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 7, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 7 out of 21 screened

Jalan Kunci Air cluster
District(s): Gombak and Hulu Selangor, Selangor
Locality/Source: Jalan Kunci Air, Simpang 3, Gombak
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 1, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 18 out of 205 screened https://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source:Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry reported 1,647 new Covid-19 cases and nine deaths in the 24-hour period ending noon today.

Malaysians made up the vast majority of the new cases (67.1 percent). Most of them were reported in the Klang Valley (48.6 percent) followed by Johor (10.32 percent) and Penang (10.3 percent).

New cases are generally trending lower throughout the country except for Sarawak (see chart below). 

However, there was a relatively large number of new cases reported in Malacca because of an outbreak at an immigration detention centre. 

• Active cases: 17,544
• Patients in ICUs: 147
• Intubated: 61

Deaths

Of the nine new Covid-19 deaths reported today, five were reported in the Klang Valley which currently accounts for 35.3 percent of all Covid-19 deaths in the country. 

The country’s Covid-19 death toll stands at 1,200.

One of the victims – a Malaysian woman, aged 58 – was brought to the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital, Batu Pahat only after she died.

New detention centre cluster

Of the 440 active clusters nationwide, 65 registered new Covid-19 cases. None of the clusters had new cases in the triple digits.

The two clusters with the most active cases are the Queens Waterfront construction site cluster in Penang and the Sungai Gadut cluster in Negeri Sembilan.

Another five new clusters were classified by the Health Ministry today.

A new cluster involving a detention centre – DTI Machap Umboo – was detected when one of the detainees was screened for Covid-19 prior to being deported.

Teknologi Tenggara cluster
District(s): Batu Pahat, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Kluang
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 7, pre-departure screening
Total infected: 12 out of 146 screened

Jalan Masyhur Enam cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Masyhur 6, Taman Perindustrian Cemerlang, Ulu Tiram
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 9, targeted screening
Total infected: 52 out of 173 screened

Tapak Bina Jalan Kenangan cluster
District(s): Klang, Selangor
Locality/Source: construction site in Jalan Kenangan, Pekan Meru KU/8, Klang
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 11, targeted screening
Total infected: 31 out of 121 screened

DTI Machap Umboo cluster
District(s): Alor Gajah, Malacca
Locality/Source: Detention centre in Jalan Alor Gajah-Selandar, Kampung Permai
Cluster category: Detention centre
First case: Feb 20, pre-deportation screening
Total infected: 83 out of 530 screened

Jambatan Satu Bombalai cluster
District(s): Kalabakan, Sabah
Locality/Source: Household in Kampung Jambatan 1, Bombalai
Cluster category: Community
First case: Feb 27, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 15 out of 41 screened

New cases in states, territorieshttps://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source:Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry today reported 1,448 new Covid-19 cases and five deaths.

The Klang Valley recorded the most cases (45.9 percent) followed by Johor (18.9 percent) and Sarawak (13.7 percent).

New infections in the Klang Valley mostly compose of those detected through existing clusters or contact tracing, with relatively low levels of those detected through “other screenings”. 

New transmissions mostly involved Malaysians (61.1 percent).

• Active cases: 18,009
• Patients in ICUs: 151
• Intubated: 72

Deaths

There were five deaths reported today – two in Selangor and one in Sabah, Johor and Malacca respectively. 

The victims were all Malaysians with comorbidities. Their age ranged from 43 to 72. Details of the victims can be found on Kini News Lab’s Covid-19 tracker website.

The national Covid-19 death toll stood at 1,191 today. 

Clusters

Of the 449 active clusters, 59 reported new cases today. The most active new cluster is a construction site cluster known as Tapak Bina Jalan Zamrud (151 new cases, Selangor) that was announced yesterday and the Parit Penyengat Darat cluster (123 new cases, Johor) that was announced on Feb 4.

The Health Ministry classified five new clusters today – the lowest this year – which involved two clusters identified through targeted screening of workplaces.

There were two community clusters – Sungai Puteh and Melor – but details are scant.

A cluster known as Pona is the first “imported” cluster of the year.

Parit Penyengat Darat cluster
District(s): Muar, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Kawasan Perindustrian Parit Jamil
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 6, targeted screening
Total infected: 124 out of 317 screened

Dagang Permai cluster
District(s): Hulu Langat, Selangor
Locality/Source: Supermarket security guards and staff at Taman Dagang Permai
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 1, targeted screening
Total infected: 16 out of 135 screened

Sungai Puteh cluster
District(s): Hulu Langat, Selangor
Locality/Source: Kampung Bukit Puteh, Sungai Puteh, Lembah Jaya Utara
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 7, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 21 out of 65 screened

Melor cluster
District(s): Pusa, Sarawak
Locality/Source: Kampung Tengah Beladin
Cluster category: Community
First case: Feb 27, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 14 out of 335 screened

Source : Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry today reported 1,280 new Covid-19 cases and nine deaths in the 24-hour period ending noon today.

The new cases comprise 71.9 percent Malaysians. Most of the new cases were reported in the Klang Valley (45.8 percent) followed by Johor 12.9 percent and Sarawak (12.7 percent).

• Active cases: 18,704
• Patients in ICUs: 155
• Intubated: 76

The number of Covid-19 patients requiring intensive care have not been this low in two months, while the number of active cases are currently at levels not seen since late December, 2020. https://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/IndividualsTested

Deaths

Of the nine deaths reported today, five were reported in the Klang Valley and one case reported in Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu, Perak, Sabah and Sarawak respectively. 

The Klang Valley currently accounted for 35.16 percent of all Covid-19 deaths in the country. 

The country’s Covid-19 death toll stood at 1,186. 

One of the victim – a foreigner, age 38 – was brought to the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital in Kuala Lumpur after he died. 

Clusters

There are currently 457 active Covid-19 cases in the country of which 63 reported new cases today. 

The largest number of new cases in a single cluster today was 36 – a welcome sign since new clusters in the three digits used to be the norm during the last movement control order (MCO) period. 

The Health Ministry today reported nine new clusters of which two involved community spread that did not involve work places.

A cluster known as Jalan Setia Jaya involved a social event in Batu Pahat, Johor. There’s another community cluster in Sungai Lembing, Pahang but there are little details.

Jalan Nusa Mega cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Mega 1, Taman Perindustrian Nusa Cemerlang
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 4, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 36 out of 182 screened

Jalan Industri A1 cluster
District(s): Tangkak, Johor
Locality/Source: Factory in Jalan Industri A1, Muar.
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 5, index cases detected as part of pre-departure screening
Total infected: 21 out of 31 screened

Tapak Bina Jalan U-Thant cluster
District(s): Titiwangsa, WP Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: Construction site in Jalan U-Thant
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 9, targeted screening
Total infected: 35 out of 158 screened

Tapak Bina Jalan Salak cluster
District(s): Lembah Pantai, WP Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: Construction site in Jalan Salak Selatan, Lembah Pantai
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 8, targeted screening
Total infected: 16 out of 29 screened

Lorong Kilang cluster
District(s): Petaling and Klang, Selangor
Locality/Source: Factory in Lorong Kilang, Petaling Jaya.
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: Feb 6, targeted screening
Total infected: 41 out of 419 screened

Medan Bayan Lepas cluster
District(s): Barat Daya, Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, and Seberang Perai Selatan, Pulau Pinang
Locality/Source: Factory in Medan Bayan Lepas, Zon Perindustrian Bebas Bayan Lepas
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: Feb 26, targeted screening
Total infected: 65 out of 428 screened

Sungai Lembing cluster
District(s): Kuantan, Pahang
Locality/Source: Unnamed locality in Sungai Lembing
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 3, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 13 out of 135 screened

Jalan Setia Jaya cluster
District(s): Batu Pahat, Johor
Locality/Source: Social event in Jalan Setia Jaya Utama
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 8, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 28 out of 56 screened

Amanjaya cluster
District(s): Kuala Muda, Kedah
Locality/Source: Medical centre in Bandar Aman Jaya, Sungai Petani.
Cluster category: At-risk groups
First case: Feb 26, index case with symptoms
Total infected: 16 out of 61 screened 
https://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

Source:Malaysiakini

“More Flavour, Less Salt!” The World Salt Awareness Week falls from March 8 to 14 this year. The aim is to raise awareness of the damaging effect of too much salt on our health.

The campaign is part of the global strategy to reduce salt consumption. Our local study showed that the average salt intake per day among Malaysians was 7.9g in 2017–2018. 

This far exceeded the level recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is less than 5g per day. One of the global NCD targets by the WHO is to reduce salt intake by 30 percent.

Excessive salt consumption is related to elevated blood pressure or hypertension. 

Blood pressure is expressed with two numbers. The first (systolic) number represents the pressure when the heart contracts, while the second (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart rests between beats. The blood pressure is high when the systolic reading is ≥140 mmHg, or the diastolic reading is ≥90 mmHg (or both).

Hypertension is a “silent killer.” Most individuals with hypertension do not have symptoms. Thus, it is essential to measure blood pressure regularly. 

The recent 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that 30 percent of our adult population had hypertension. What is worrying is that almost half of the respondents do not know that they have the disease. 

If left undetected or uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, vision loss, and sexual dysfunction.

With the interrelations between risk factors such as unhealthy diet, obesity, and physical inactivity, there is no wonder why a whopping 1.7 million Malaysians have hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. 

Another local study reported that among our diabetes patients, 85 percent of them had hypertension and 88 percent high cholesterol.

Diverse factors such as diet, physical activity level, body weight, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, mental stress, medical conditions, and medications can all affect blood pressure readings. 

Hence, it is not surprising that blood pressure among patients is often difficult to control. 

Among diabetic hypertensive patients in Malaysia, blood pressure trends have mostly stagnated despite more than half of them were given two or more blood pressure medications. 

Moreover, only a quarter of them achieved the clinically recommended blood pressure goal.

What can we do to prevent hypertension or optimise blood pressure control?

1. Know the numbers – only by checking our blood pressure regularly can we know about our blood pressure status.
2. Reduce our dietary salts intake. Replace salt with spices, fresh herbs, garlic and black pepper. Cut back on sauces – soya sauce, salad dressing and others. Avoid foods high in salts such as instant noodles, fast foods, smoked, salted or canned meat, fish or poultry.
3. Home-cooked food – get creative in the kitchen and try out new recipes.
4. Adopt a healthy diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and fish and low in red meat, sweets, salts, and fats.
5. Stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption for non-Muslims.
6. Exercise regularly. Resistance training using weight (eg, bodyweight exercise) and aerobic exercise (eg, brisk walking, cycling, jogging) help.
7. For individuals on blood pressure medications, do adhere to the prescribed treatment plans.

DR NORAN NAQIAH HAIRI, DR MOY FOONG MING and DR WAN KIM SUI are from the  Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. 

Source ： Malaysiakini

The Health Ministry has reported 1,529 fresh Covid-19 cases, a new low for this year.

Daily infections peaked in late January with a record 5,729 cases on Jan 30.

The new cases for today are at the lowest level since Dec 27 last year.

Of the 1,529 new infections today, 1,180 are Malaysians while another 349 are non-citizens.

The number of active cases finally dipped under 20,000, helped by high recoveries of 2,076 cases today. Active cases are down from a peak of 51,783 on Feb 11.

Active cases are a measure of the strain Covid-19 hospitals are facing. The country has enough beds for 34,126 Covid-19 patients in public hospitals and quarantine centres.

• Active cases: 19,778
• Patients in ICUs: 160
• Intubated: 79

• Deaths
• Eight new fatalities were reported today, bringing the death toll to 1,177.
• The deaths today were from Johor (2), Penang (2), Sabah (2), Sarawak (1) and Kuala Lumpur (1).
• They were aged between 61 and 89. All but one suffered from co-morbidities.

New cases by states 

Selangor (726)
Existing clusters: 92
Close contacts: 553
Imported: 5
Other screenings: 76

Sarawak (252)
Existing clusters: 9
Close contacts: 79
Other screenings: 164

Johor (120)
Existing clusters: 21
New clusters: 24 (Cyber 72, Jalan i-Park Tiga clusters)
Close contacts: 34
Imported: 2
Other screenings: 39

Negeri Sembilan (89)
Existing clusters: 57
Close contacts: 24
Other screenings: 8

Pulau Pinang (76)
Existing clusters: 11
Close contacts: 17
Other screenings: 48

Sabah (71)
Existing clusters: 26
Close contacts: 34
Other screenings: 11

Kuala Lumpur (71)
Existing clusters: 9
New cluster: 2 (Jalan Loke Yew cluster)
Close contacts: 35
Imported: 2
Other screenings: 23

Perak (49)
Existing clusters: 29
Close contacts: 17
Other screenings: 3

Kelantan (28)
Existing clusters: 5
Close contacts: 16
Other screenings: 7

Perlis (17)
Existing clusters: 17

Terengganu (13)
Existing clusters: 2
New cluster: 1 (Bukit Bayas cluster)
Close contacts: 9
Other screenings: 1

Kedah (9)
Close contacts: 4
Other screenings: 5

Malacca (4)
Existing clusters: 1
Other screenings: 3

Pahang (3)
Other screenings: 3

Putrajaya (1)
Existing clusters: 1

https://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/states-chart

 
Clusters

To date, 467 out of 1,203 Covid-19 clusters are still active, of which 62 clusters contributed to the new infections today.

This includes nine clusters being declared resolved and the emergence of four new clusters today.

The clusters declared over today are: Jalan Perindustrian, Selasih Perindu, Keladi Saga, Sri Sengkang, Jalan Permata, Jalan Cyber Lima, Tinanom, Jalan Waja and Persiaran Hulu. 

Details of the four new clusters are as follow:

Cyber 72 cluster
District(s): Kulai, Johor
Locality/Source: A factory at Jalan Cyber 5, Senai
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 4
Total infected: 18 out of 163 screened

Jalan i-Park Tiga cluster
District(s): Kulai, Johor
Locality/Source: A factory at Jalan i-Park 1/3, Bandar Indahpura
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 6
Total infected: 8 out of 43 screened

Jalan Loke Yew cluster
District(s): Cheras, Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: A supermarket at Jalan Loke Yew, Cheras
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: March 2
Total infected: 11 out of 16 screened

Bukit Bayas cluster
District(s): Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu; Johor Bahru, Johor; Petaling, Selangor.
Locality/Source: Residential area in Kampung Bukit Bayas, Kuala Terengganu
Cluster category: Community
First case: March 3
Total infected: 23 out of 139 screenedhttps://newslab.malaysiakini.com/covid-19/embed/en/chart

Source : Malaysiakini