FILE PHOTO: Medical workers wearing protective suits pass by barbed wire at the red zone under enhanced lockdown, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported 33 new COVID-19 cases and one more death from the disease on Friday (Jun 12).
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia now stands at 8,402, with the death toll at 119.
“Of the 33 new cases reported, 16 are imported cases (who) were infected overseas. (Of the) 17 local transmissions, 14 are foreigners and three are Malaysians,” said health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Dr Noor Hisham said the three Malaysian cases were detected during a contact screening of a patient in Kuala Lumpur, a screening at a tahfiz centre in Selangor and a community screening related to an 85-year-old woman who died on Thursday.
The elderly woman is the 119th person to die of COVID-19 in Malaysia. She died at home on Thursday, and her body was taken to Hospital Keningau in Sabah, where she was tested positive for the virus.
A total of 103 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged on Friday, bringing the total number of recoveries in Malaysia to 7,168.
Four cases were still being treated in the intensive care unit and no patients were on ventilator support.
As of Friday, 40 people were screened and quarantined after coming into close contact with a barber who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
According to The Star, the barber had conducted illegal house-to-house services during Malaysia’s movement control order (MCO).
“Based on records, 25 close contacts, including 21 clients and four of his housemates, have been identified,” Dr Noor Hisham said.
Another 15 close contacts were identified after the barber shop resumed business on Jun 10.
Barbershops, hair salons and beauty parlours were only allowed to reopen from Wednesday, the first day of Malaysia’s recovery movement control order (RMCO).
