KUALA LUMPUR – The all-time high of 592 deaths reported just before midnight yesterday was exacerbated by backlogged fatality reports, the Health Ministry (MoH) said.
MoH clarified that out of the 592 deaths reported on its CovidNow portal at 11.59pm last night, only 100 were deaths on that particular day.
In a media briefing session this morning, MoH said it is adopting a new method in reporting daily Covid-19 deaths as there are backlogged figures.
The ministry explained that emphasis should be given on the number of “actual deaths” on each day as compared to the number of reported deaths.
For instance, out of yesterday’s 592 deaths, there were only 100 “actual reports” because the remaining 492 cases were in the backlog.
“As of midnight last night, we reported an additional 592 cases, that’s why there is a sudden spike there in the horizontal line (blue bar chart). It is due to backlogged cases.
“What is important for the number of deaths is that the black line is not going to change much. We are actually seeing a downtrend.
“Look at the actual date of death, not the number of reports we receive,” the media was told during the virtual briefing.
The ministry added that backlogged cases will be added and reflected retrospectively on CovidNow when they are entered into the system, and there is a possibility of the statistics changing in accordance with new data obtained.
“The situation (and data) is dynamic. We have situations whereby the reporting is delayed and we face this a lot with different deaths.
“Some (deaths) will require toxicology reports while some are quick and straightforward, so the date of reporting might be difficult (to obtain).
“We also had a surge in cases prior to this, especially in the Klang Valley over the past few months. As we have more time now, in terms of the burden of cases, we have the opportunity to do things faster.
“So don’t be surprised to see tall horizontal lines on the blue bar chart as we might see the same for the next few days,” MoH said.
MoH’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre data head Dr Mahesh Appannan explained that Malaysia reports deaths as “due to Covid-19” rather than “with Covid-19”.
“Deaths due to Covid-19 means clinical investigations have found that the person died because of the virus.
“Deaths with Covid-19 means the patient tested positive for Covid-19 at the time of death or shortly before,” Dr Mahesh said.
He also said MoH focuses on deaths “due to Covid-19” because it is important to have the correct number for analyses of vaccine effectiveness and fatality rates.
“However, this takes time, because it requires autopsies and clinical audits rather than just checking if the patient is Covid-19 positive,” he added. – The Vibes, September 12, 2021
