KUALA LUMPUR: The R-naught (R0) has dipped lower than predicted and this could be attributed to the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Dr Noor Hisham said judging by the 650 cases recorded today (Oct 31), the RO could be 1.0 or lower.
"The projected figures were much lower than predicted. The ministry earlier expected a four-digit spike of 1,357 cases based on the infectivity rate of R naught (R0) 1.5, on Thursday (Oct 29).
"If the R0 level was at 1.0, Malaysia would have gotten 950 cases on Oct 30 and 955 cases on Oct 31.
"However, there are only 659 cases today (Oct 31). This means our R0 level could be less than 1.0," said Dr Noor Hisham told the press conference at the Health Ministry at Putrajaya today.
For an R0 level of 1, it means each Covid-19 patient could infect one more person.
Dr Noor Hisham hoped to reduce the infectivity level to 0.3 in the next two weeks following increased efforts by health authorities to manage the spread of Covid-19 infection.
"The public can play a part to ensure that standard operating procedures (SOP) are adhered to in our efforts to curb the pandemic," he said.