Asia

Malaysia reports 54 new COVID-19 cases, lowest since movement control order imposed

adminApril 18, 20201 Mins read78 Views

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian health officials reported 54 new coronavirus cases on Saturday (Apr 18), the lowest daily increase since the government imposed curbs on movement and business on Mar 18, taking the cumulative total to 5,305.

Two new deaths were also reported, bringing the toll to 88 or 1.66 per cent of total fatalities.

The 87th fatality is a 60-year-old Malaysian man who had a history of high blood pressure and diabetes.

The other person who died is a 36-year-old Myanmar man.

"(He) was treated at the Selayang hospital yesterday after coming in late for treatment for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection and died on the same day at 10am,” said Malaysia's health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah at a daily press conference.

He added that 135 more people have recovered. This brings the total number of those fully recovered and discharged to 2,967, or 56.5 per cent of the cumulative cases.

Malaysia first imposed a movement control order (MCO) on Mar 18 to curb the spread of COVID-19. It was initially for a two-week period until Mar 31 but has since been extended twice to last until Apr 28.