by BERNAMA / pic by BERNAMA

The COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country is showing encouraging developments after 168 patients who recovered were discharged today, exceeding the number of new positive cases. 

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (picture) said up to noon today, 134 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, bringing cumulative cases in the country to 4,817. 

He said a total of 2,276 cases, or 47.23 percent of cumulative cases, have fully recovered from COVID-19 and discharged from wards so far.

“Once again, the number of those discharged today exceeded the number of new cases reported,” he said at the daily COVID-19 media briefing at the Health Ministry (MOH) here today. 

Dr Noor Hisham said there was one COVID-19 fatality recorded today, bringing the total to 77 deaths so far. 

Dr Noor Hisham said the 77th fatality (case number 2,797)  is a 62-year-old Malaysian man with a history of heart and kidney problems and high blood pressure. 

“He was a participant of the gathering in Sri Petaling. He was warded at Melaka Hospital on March 31 and died on April 13 at 9.15 am. 

“After subtracting cumulative cases with the number of those discharged and the number of deaths, the total number of active cases with infection ability is 2,464, with all active cases isolated and given treatment,” he said. 

Dr Noor Hisham said to date, there are 66 cases being treated in the intensive care unit, with 36 of them requiring respiratory aids.