KUCHING, Feb 24: The Health Ministry (MoH) is proactively strengthening the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) surveillance system to detect local cases in the community.
Based on the current situation in Malaysia, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the surveillance system utilises the same principles as the Influenza Surveillance System, which is through the detection of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) cases that meet the set criteria at the level of selected hospitals and health clinics respectively.
“Strengthening detection amongst SARI cases was initiated on Feb 12, 2020. Since then, no samples have been found to be positive for Covid-19 out of those obtained and tested through the surveillance system. In addition, strengthening for detection amongst ILI cases was initiated on Feb 22,” he said in a statement.
As in Feb 23, MoH reported a total of 22 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Malaysia. Out of these, 20 were imported cases with histories of travel or living in overseas, particularly from China, Dr Noor Hisham said.
The remaining two cases were amongst family members of one of the confirmed imported Covid-19 case, who is a Malaysian.
Meanwhile, one more patient has fully recovered and has been discharged well on Feb 22.
“She is Case 13, a 40-year-old female, Malaysian, who was confirmed with Covid-19 infection on Feb 5 and was treated at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar.
“In total, 18 confirmed Covid-19 cases have fully recovered and discharged well, with four cases still receiving treatment in hospitals and are in stable conditions,” he continued. — DayakDaily
