CORONAVIRUS | Seven people have died in the last 24 hours from Covid-19, making it the highest number of reported deaths in a day since the start of the outbreak.
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (above), addressing a press conference in Putrajaya today, said this brings the total number of deaths to 34.
He also reported 150 new cases as of noon today, bringing the tally to 2,470 cases.
The recorded deaths are as follow:
Patient 2,321 (Death 28)
A 91-year Malaysian woman. She had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. She was treated at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) on March 26. She passed away on March 28 at 8.48am.
Patient 2,123 (Death 29)
A 64-year-old Malaysian woman. She had a history of diabetes and high blood pressure. She was treated at Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Negeri Sembilan on March 25. She passed away on March 28 at 10.15pm.
Patient 2,322 (Death 30)
A 76-year-old Malaysian man. He had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. He was treated at UMMC. He passed away on March 28 at 11.33pm.
Patient 2,323 (Death 31)
A 27-year-old Malaysian man. He had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. He was treated at UMMC on March 27. He passed away on March 28 at 7.44pm.
Patient 1,239 (Death 32)
A 50-year-old Malaysian man. He had a history of high blood pressure. He was a participant at the Sri Petaling religious gathering. He was treated at the Enche Besar Hjh Kalsom Hospital in Johor on March 22. He passed away on March 28 at 7.44pm.
Patient 1,249 (Death 33)
A 37-year-old Malaysian man. He had a history of travel to India. He was treated at Permai Hospital in Johor on March 21. He passed away on March 28 at 11.25pm.
Patient 787 (Death 34)
A 77-year-old Malaysian man. He had a history of high blood pressure. He was treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital on March 18. He passed away on March 29 at 10.40am.
Diabetes and high blood pressure
Hisham conveyed the Health Ministry's condolences to the families of the victims.
He said the increase in death rate was attributed to a number of factors.
"Many of the patients were at an advance, had comorbidity such as diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease and thirdly, came in (for treatment) at a late stage and already had respiratory infections," Hisham added.
He said of the 150 new cases reported in the last 24 hours, around 61 were from the Sri Petaling religious gathering cluster.
Hisham added that many of the remaining clusters are due to fourth and fifth-generation infections from the Sri Petaling cluster.
He said the number of patients in the intensive care unit remains at 73 despite the deaths. However, the number of people on ventilators in ICU has fallen from 54 to 52.
In a related development, Hisham said 68 people have recovered from Covid-19, the highest reported recovery in a day since the start of the outbreak.
This brings the total number of recoveries to 388 cases.
Keep up with the latest information on the outbreak in the country with Malaysiakini's free Covid-19 tracker.
Malaysiakini is providing free access to the most important updates on the coronavirus pandemic. You can find them here.
Help keep independent media alive - subscribe to Malaysiakini.
