PUTRAJAYA: A total of 217 new Covid-19 cases were reported as of noon today, bringing the total cumulative confirmed cases in the country to 3,333.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 58 of the new cases were related to the tabligh gathering at Seri Petaling Mosque cluster.
The increase in confirmed cases was due to the active case detection (ACD) screening conducted at localities placed under the Enhanced Movement Control (EMCO).
“It (the increased in the number of new Covid-19 cases) is expected because of our active case detection (ACD) as well as our lab capacity, in which, we have 43 laboratories (to test samples for Covid-19).
“And this is because of the EMCO. We will conduct screening on the entire community or kampung (village) once the respective localities are being placed under EMCO.
“For example, there are five Malay villages, two Orang Asli villages and tahfiz school in Sungai Lui (in Hulu Langat). Because of the ACD, we managed to identify 41 tahfiz students in that area who are positive with Covid-19,” Dr Noor Hisham said.
He added that 108 Covid-19 patients are being treated at the intensive care units, with 54 requiring breathing assistance.
Dr Noor Hisham also announced three Covid-19 fatalities were reported to the ministry’s National Crisis Preparedness Centre (CPRC), raising the death toll from the virus in the country to 53.
Meanwhile, he said Selangor continued to record the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
He said almost half of the cases in the state were from the tabligh gathering at Seri Petaling Mosque cluster.
The infection from the tabligh participants, he pointed out has spread to madrasah or religious schools in the state including at tahfiz schools in Hulu Langat.
“There are more than 600 (Covid-19) cases in Selangor, of which, 300 of the cases were detected in Hulu Langat.
“One of the reasons (why Selangor recorded the highest number in Covid-19 cases) was related to the ‘jemaah’ who had gathered at the Seri Petaling (mosque).
“The infection has spread at madrasah (tahfiz) schools,” he said.