Kelantan recorded an all-time-high tally of 150 daily Covid-19 cases today.
State health director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said Kota Baru registered the highest number of cases at 50, followed by Gua Musang (27) and Pasir Mas (21).
He said the 150 cases take the cumulative tally of infections in the state to 2,133.
Dr Zaini added that 79 of the 150 cases are from close contacts, 45 from clusters, while the rest were detected via screening tests.
As the increasing number of Covid-19 infections continues to overwhelm the country, not all individuals identified as close contacts may undergo tests.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry will prioritise swab tests for individuals with symptoms first.
“Those who are close contacts to positive cases must undergo quarantine and be isolated.
“The priority for Covid-19 swab tests is given to those who are symptomatic.
“This is because the swab tests may not be able to be given to all, especially in districts or states that are burdened with a high number of cases.
The Health Ministry is set to implement several measures in its management of Covid-19 cases in the wake of the rollout of the Perlindungan Ekonomi dan Rakyat Malaysia (Permai) assistance package.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, describing Permai as a proactive initiative to combat the pandemic, said the initiative would also ensure the smooth process of Covid-19 management in the country.
"This is a good effort and proactive to strengthen our Covid-19 response.
Seventy-nine per cent of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Sabah hospitals are occupied by Covid-19 patients.
State Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said despite this, the Health Ministry will do its best to accommodate and provide the best healthcare for the people.
"There are two major hospitals in Kota Kinabalu, one has 36 ICU beds and the other has six beds; Tawau has 32; Sandakan 18; Lahad Datu 13; and Keningau 10.
"There are 115 ICU beds in total and 91 patients are being treated at ICUs to date, with 23 of them needing ventilators," he said in a virtual press conference.
Nine new Covid-19 clusters, seven of which are linked to workplace infections, were identified in Selangor, Sabah, Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Seremban and Pahang today.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the clusters involve a supermarket, an oil palm plantation, a public institution, two construction sites, a factory as well as a cafe at a recreational centre.
The Taman Tasik Sungai Chua cluster involves the Hulu Langat district in Selangor, which had recorded 60 positive cases as of today after a targeted screening was conducted on 147 people at a supermarket.
The name of the cluster, he said, referred to the residence of the positive patients.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has identified nine new Covid-19 clusters in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Sabah.
The new clusters are dubbed the Era Duta and Jalan Nipah construction site clusters in Kuala Lumpur, Taman Tasik Sg Chua cluster in Selangor, Genting Cafe cluster in Pahang, Pulau Lima cluster in Kelantan, Jalan TJ cluster in Negri Sembilan, Jalan Suria cluster in Johor, and the Bukit Bendera and Serga Mahar clusters in Sabah.
Those who have been identified as Covid-19 positive and instructed to home quarantine are not allowed to leave their residence and must be contactable at all times.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that those who have been in close contact with a Covid-positive individual must also self-isolate and quarantine themselves as outlined previously.
In a statement today, he said the priority for swab tests will be given to those who are symptomatic as the ministry would not be able to conduct tests on everyone in a state that has a lot of cases.
The Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) at Kampung Timbang Dayang, Kota Belud in Sabah, ends today.
According to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the Health Ministry said the last active Covid-19 case in the locality was recorded on Jan 11.
"Following the advice of the Health Ministry during the special National Security Council meeting (today), the EMCO placed on Kampung Timbang Dayang ends as scheduled on Jan 18.
"The active cases in the locality are under control and there are no samples left awaiting results.
A total of 83 close contacts of two Melaka Police Headquarters Contingent (IPK) personnel, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, have been identified, said Melaka Police chief Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd Ali.
He said the two women personnel, a sub-inspector and a civil servant aged 30 and 53, are from the logistics division of the IPK.
“The close contacts who have been identified comprised officers, personnel as well as family members and 45 of them have been ordered to undergo home quarantine.
Covid-19 cases in the country remained above the 3,000 mark as Malaysia entered the sixth day of the second movement control order.
In a statement, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the country recorded 3,306 new Covid-19 cases on Monday (Jan 18).
This takes the tally up to 161,740.
Four people also died due to the coronavirus, raising Malaysia’s Covid-19 death toll to 605.
The country also discharged 2,293 Covid-19 patients, which means 122,344 people have recovered.
The number of people with active Covid-19 infections in Malaysia has gone up to 38,791.
Currently, 226 patients are in intensive care, with 94 requiring ventilator support.
The government has placed Seremban and Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan under the Movement Control Order (MCO) effective tomorrow (Jan 19) following a surge of Covid-19 cases.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in a statement today, said both districts will be placed under the MCO for 14 days until Feb 1.
"The decision to implement the MCO is to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection among the community and to monitor movements within the two districts.
"Based on the advice of and risk evaluation by the Health Ministry, the special National Security Council meeting today decided to place a 14-day MCO period for Seremban and Port Dickson from Jan 19 to Feb 1," the statement read.
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