SHAH ALAM, Jan 17 — Over 80 per cent of those who have been tested positive for Covid-19 were asymptomatic cases, says Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud.
The state executive councillor for public health said this is the reason why keeping a social distance is important as some people do not know that they have caught the virus until they have been screened.
“That is why it is important for us to understand that we need to protect those in the high-risk groups within the community. This includes the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.
“They (the high-risk group) need to be quarantined at home even before being found positive. No need to go here and there. Stay at home, so that they would not be exposed to the (Covid-19) risks,” said Dr Siti Mariah when met by the media after handing out assistance to the mobile traders at the Puchong Permai hawkers’ square in Puchong today.
She said the quarantine centre at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Serdang was previously fully occupied as it had housed the asymptomatic patients.
“But now they only admit those who are with symptoms of stages three and four, while those of stages one and two (with no or very light symptoms) will not be placed there,” she added.
Previously the Health Ministry had stated that patients of stages one and two would undergo home quarantine under strict surveillance beginning January 1.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the move, however, would depend on the number of people in the household and the size of the house.
Yesterday, Malaysia saw its top daily Covid-19 figure at 4,029, with Selangor recording the highest number with 1,466 infections, followed by Johor (719), Sabah (449), Kuala Lumpur (347) and Negeri Sembilan (214).
