PUTRAJAYA – The Health Ministry expects the number of Covid-19 cases to exceed 5,000 per day by month-end, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The nationwide average infectivity rate based on daily infections as of yesterday is 1.10, he added.
Dr Noor Hisham also announced that 46 Covid-19 clusters have been linked to interstate activities, involving 6,044 cases, since December 7 last year.
He added that a total of 14 clusters were recorded last month alone.
Citing the Pasai cluster in Sarawak, Dr Noor Hisham said the index case had travelled to the state from Johor Baru, Johor, following the death of his father, and caused 2,693 infections there despite being confirmed negative during the screening prior to his departure.
“It also resulted in 29 deaths, and saw 58 longhouses infected.
“This is what we are worried about if it is inter-district or interstate (movements).”
If such travel is allowed, he said, it is feared that Covid-19 will further spread within the community.
On the deaths due to the virus, Dr Noor Hisham said as of yesterday, 85% of the 1,390 fatalities involved senior citizens aged 50 and above, while 64% (1,045) involved men.
“18% died outside hospitals, while 89% had non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and so on.
“87% of the deaths were in Categories 4 and 5, which require respiratory assistance.”
He said this year, 1,161 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded so far, more than double the 471 deaths recorded the whole of last year. – Bernama, May 8, 2021
