Covid-19 infections rose by 217 cases today, with 41 students of a tahfiz school testing positive, bringing the total number of infections to 3,333 cases.
Another three fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 53, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
“The 51st death (case number 2561) was that of a female Malaysian aged 84 with a history of heart disease. She was treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital on March 12, and then sent to the National Heart Institute. She was confirmed dead on April 2, 2020 at 1.07pm.
“The 52nd death (case number 2122) was that of a local man aged 52 who was treated at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Negeri Sembilan on March 18, 2020 and confirmed dead on April 3, at 7.55am.”
Dr Noor Hisham said the 53rd death (case number 2034) was that of a female Malaysian aged 73, with a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and kidney problems.
He said the woman was treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Perak on March 24 and confirmed dead at 9.30am on April 3.
“Of the cases still undergoing treatment in hospital, 108 are in the intensive care unit, with 54 of them requiring breathing assistance,” he said.
A total of 60 patients have recovered and discharged from the hospitals. This brings the total number of recoveries to 827.
A total of 138 Ministry of Health (MoH) healthcare workers have been tested positive for Covid-19 as at noon yesterday, Dr Noor Hisham revealed.
However, he stressed that none of those workers was infected due to the handling of patients at Covid-19 wards or intensive care unit at the ministry’s healthcare facilities.
“Fifty-eight of the cases (42 percent) were linked to wedding receptions attended by individuals who also attended the tabligh gathering in Sri Petaling,” he said.
He also said that 58 new cases are linked to the tabligh cluster in Masjid Seri Petaling.
Forty-four from the tabligh cluster are being treated at the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM Hospital in Cheras. This incudes the 41 tahfiz students.
According to Dr Noor Hisham, Selangor has the highest number of cases at 863. He said cases from the tabligh cluster have contributed to the high number of Covid-19 infections in the state.
“Selangor has recorded a high number of cases. One of the causes is the tahfiz schools, and madrasahs (being linked) to the attendees of the tabligh event in Sri Petaling,” he said.
One of the red zones, Hulu Langat, which is currently under enhanced movement control order (EMCO) reported 300 cases today, up from 287 yesterday.
Of the 90 cases in Kg Sg Lui in Hulu Langat, 25 are from among the tabligh attendees while 65 cases were close contacts.