KUALA LUMPUR (July 9): The Health Ministry today attributed the surge in Covid-19 cases in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in recent days to a ramp-up in public health measures in areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO). 

Selangor and Kuala Lumpur accounted for 42.02% and 13.01% of infections during the July 1-7 period, compared with 38.33% and 12.29%, respectively in the previous week, noted the ministry’s director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“During the EMCO, public health activities can be more focused. Close contact detection and health screening activities, especially on symptomatic individuals, have been implemented more vigorously for the early detection of Covid-19 cases.

“This allows immediate isolation to be carried out to prevent community spread. 

“In addition, the Health Ministry also conducts screenings of 10% of the population living in the EMCO areas and priority is given to those at high risk,” he said.  

Dr Noor Hisham added that as part of the measures to address the surge in new infections, the ministry also would continue to outsource services to private hospitals and laboratories to boost the government’s capacity in dealing with the outbreak.  

To date, a total of 72 private hospitals throughout the country are involved in the outsourcing services. 

Dr Noor Hisham also said following rapid increase in new Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley, the Kuala Lumpur Hospital has increased the outsourcing of patients to nearby private hospitals. 

“Since July 6, 25 patients have been sent to private hospitals and an estimated four patients will be sent daily. 

“The number of patients who will be sent to private hospitals within six months is estimated at 993 people, involving an allocation of RM18 million,” he added.  

Dr Noor Hisham said the RT-PCR testing capacity of all laboratories involved stands at 116,803 tests per day.  

The ministry also highlighted that Malaysia's current basic reproduction number (R-naught or R0) for Covid-19 infections nationwide stands at 1.07, with Putrajaya having the highest R0 of 1.22.

This R0 or Rt projects the average number of people that each new Covid-19 patient will infect, or what is termed the effective reproduction number. An R0 of less than 1.0 means the infection is not
spreading. 

Malaysia’s new Covid-19 cases surged to 8,868 yesterday, as cumulative cases reported by the country surpassed the 800,000 level to 808,658. 

Malaysia also recorded the highest daily fatalities since the pandemic began with 135 deaths, bringing the nation's total death toll to 5,903.

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