PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia has discharged 108 Covid-19 patients on Wednesday (April 1), which is the highest number of recoveries in a day so far since the coronavirus outbreak.
The Health Ministry's director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this was a sign that Malaysia's recovery rate has been improving.
"The total number of Covid-19 patients who have been discharged is 645, which is 22.2 per cent of the total number of cases," said Datuk Noor Hisham at a news conference here.
He also announced 142 new confirmed cases in the country, bringing Malaysia's total tally to 2,908.
Out of the total number of patients, 102 are treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 66 patients requiring ventilators.
Malaysia also recorded two more Covid-19 deaths to 45.
The fatalities involved an 80-year-old Malaysian woman and a 62-year-old Malaysian man. Both were treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and have a history of diabetes and high blood pressure.
Datuk Seri Hisham said after two weeks of implementing the movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia, the virus data show early signs that the government's efforts are working.
Making a comparison with a projection by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER), the director-general of health said the actual number of Covid-19 cases showed a lower trajectory than was initially forecasted by MIER.
"When you compare MIER's projected trajectory with the number of actual cases, you can see that it is less than predicted.
"These are early signs that the mitigating activities introduced by the ministry and other relevant agencies have worked, " said Dr Noor Hisham.
But he stressed that Malaysians must continue to maintain their social distancing and to obey the stay-at-home order for the upcoming weeks.
"The next two weeks are crucial. It will decide whether or not the government's MCO has produced the intended impact, " said Dr Noor Hisham.
According to MIER's projection, Malaysia would have 4,087 new Covid-19 cases by March 31, with an increase of 200 to 399 new cases per day.
However, Malaysia has only recorded 2,766 Covid-19 cases as of March 31, a difference of 1,321 cases compared to MIER's projection.
On average, the daily number of new cases is about 100 to 150 in Malaysia since March 23, with an unusual spike of 235 on March 26.
The 28-day MCO is scheduled to end on April 14.
Meanwhile, a federal gazette published on Tuesday said individuals leaving their homes to buy groceries, food, or get medical treatment are restricted to travel within a 10km radius from their homes.
"To purchase food, daily necessities, medicine, or dietary supplement, his movement shall only be, to a place within a radius of not more than ten kilometres from his residence, or to a place nearest to his residence," reads the gazette, as quoted by Malaysiakini news site.
Police at roadblocks in the past 14 days of the MCO have turned back, or arrested, those who had travelled more than 10km from their homes, after stating that they were going to buy groceries or get food, or were going to a clinic.
