KUALA LUMPUR: The country's Covid-19 indicators have shown a reduction in cases during Epidemiological Week 35 (EW35), between Aug 28 and Sept 3, compared with the previous week.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said daily Covid-19 cases in EW35 saw a 16.9 per cent decline, from 18,715 cases to 15,549 cases.
"There was a 16.8 per cent decline in local transmissions, from 18,666 cases to 15,530 cases in the same week," he said in a statement today.
"Imported cases also saw a reduction to 19 cases from 49 cases, or a 61.2 per cent decline, during the same period."
Dr Noor Hisham said the number of admissions involving Covid-19 patients at health facilities, such as hospitals and Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centres (PKRC), per 100,000 population in EW35 showed a slight dip compared with the previous week.
He said the number of admissions for Covid-19 patients in categories 1 and 2 dropped by 9.4 per cent, while those in categories 3, 4 and 5 declined by 3.6 per cent.
He said non-critical and PKRC bed utilisation rate also recorded a one per cent and two per cent decrease, respectively, while intensive care unit beds utilisation recorded an increase of one per cent.
The number of Covid-19 patients requiring ventilator support also increased by 0.2 per cent.
Dr Noor Hisham said positive cases were monitored at the Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC), and they showed a declining trend.
"The number of patients visiting the physical CAC has reduced 21.4 per cent, while the number of new Covid-19 cases undergoing home monitoring decreased by 18.7 per cent.
"Covid-19 cases referred by CAC to hospitals also decreased by 24.9 per cent.
"Active cases monitored virtually by the CAC declined by 35.7 per cent, from 55,021 cases to 35,406 cases."
Average active infections also reduced by 13.4 per cent to 31,333 cases. The average national infectivity rate remained unchanged since the previous week at 0.90.
On Covid-19 deaths, Dr Noor Hisham said fatalities declined by 21.7 per cent, from 60 cases to 47 cases.
The nation's top public health officer said 101 influenza-like illnesses (ILI) samples were reported from the ministry's Covid-19 surveillance at sentinel locations across the country during EW35.
"The 101 ILI samples were detected positive for Covid-19 with a positive rate of 15 per cent, while the rate of severe acute respiratory infections samples testing positive for Covid-19 was 1.6 per cent."