Selangor Journal
Fake blood is seen in test tubes labelled with Covid-19 in this illustration taken on March 17, 2020. — Picture by REUTERS

Covid-19 death rate in Malaysia only at 1.1pct

PUTRAJAYA, March 26 — The current death rate of Covid-19 in Malaysia is only 1.1 per cent compared to 4.5 per cent recorded in the world.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said more than 98 per cent of Covid-19 positive cases have so far recovered.

“It takes time to determine if they have recovered and could return home. What is important before they are discharged from the hospital is that they need to have negative results for 24 hours.

“The Health Ministry (MOH) will be taking care of them until they are tested negative twice,” he said at the daily Covid-19 media conference at the Health Ministry here today.

As at 12 noon today, the total cumulative Covid-19 deaths in the country is 23 cases while the total positive virus is 2,031 cases with the youngest patient at 12 days old and the oldest is aged 83.

Meanwhile, when asked whether private hospitals have the full facilities to isolate Covid-19 patients, he said these hospitals have the facilities and MOH had given them the standard operating procedures to manage Covid-19 patients.

“Maybe when the intensive care unit (ICU) in public hospitals is full, private hospitals will have to treat patients in their ICU. But so far, positive cases are referred to public hospitals,” he said.

On the number of people at the Seri Petaling assembly, Dr Noor Hisham said MOH had screened 13,762 members out of the congregation of 16,000.

In another development, Dr Noor Hisham said the people do not have to worry about donating blood as MOH is always making sure decontamination is carried out.

“It is safe to donate blood. MOH will set an appointment date to collect blood and in fact, we encourage donors to make an appointment,” he said.

— Bernama

 

 

Top Picks

Athens hands over Olympic flame to Paris organisers

Malaysia calls for restraint, probe into Gaza crisis at UN Security Council

MACC focuses on enhancing governance, integrity to revive country’s economy