KUALA LUMPUR – The number of new Covid-19 cases in the country for the 19th epidemiological week this year (May 8 to May 14) (ME19) increased by 119.2% to 19,137 cases compared to 8,732 cases in ME18.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the development took the cumulative Covid-19 case tally in Malaysia to 4,475,873, with 29,762 active cases currently.
He said in line with the increase in daily cases in ME19, the average infectivity rate also showed an increase of 70.2%, reaching 0.97 compared to 0.57 in ME18.
The number of recovered cases in ME19 decreased by 59.2% or 30,930 cases to 12,618 cases, compared with ME18 with cumulative recoveries now standing at 4,410,499.
“Fatalities in ME19 showed a slight increase of 3.1%, from 32 cases in ME18 to 33 cases, thus bringing the death toll to 35,612,” he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 patient admissions to health facilities, public hospitals and Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centres per 100,000 people also increased by 38% in ME19 compared with ME18.
“The admission of Covid-19 patients to public hospitals for every 100,000 residents has also increased by 100% involving all categories of patients.
“Overall, the percentage of centre bed usage increased by 100%. Non-critical bed usage was up by 18% while intensive care unit bed occupancy decreased by 10%,” he added. – Bernama, May 16, 2022
