COVID-19 death toll in Malaysia
Update: The death toll is now at 23, and the number of cases has now risen to 2,031. The total number of recoveries as of Thursday (26 Mar) is 215.
In a span of just 3 days, the COVID-19 death toll in Malaysia has risen by 10, with the number of confirmed cases continuing to rise each day.
Earlier today, 26th March 2020, the virus had claimed yet another victim, pushing the number of deaths up to 21. The Ministry of Health confirmed that the patient passed away at 4AM, after she was admitted to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar on 23rd March.
Latest victim was also a tabligh event attendee
The Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed that the 21st death case was a 63-year-old Malaysian who had also suffered from chronic illnesses in the past. The patient was a tabligh attendee at the Sri Petaling mosque that hosted about 15,000 participants.
Image adapted from: @KKMPutrajaya
To date, the cluster that originated from the religious event is said to be the largest in Malaysia, accounting for 60% of COVID-19 cases in the country, according to Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Currently Malaysia has recorded nearly 1,800 COVID-19 cases. There’s so far no indication of the numbers halting as the government increases efforts to crack down on those who’re defaulting the Movement Control Order (MCO).
199 successful recoveries so far
While many are mourning the loss of the 21 lives COVID-19 has claimed in Malaysia, MOH also notes that a total of 199 patients have successfully recovered and discharged from hospitals as of 26th March.
The post was flooded with comments from the public who showed appreciation for healthcare workers.
Image credit: Kementrian Kesihatan Malaysia
MOH posted an update to say thank you and congratulations to hospital staff who’ve been working around the clock to attend to COVID-19 patients.
The death toll may be steadily rising each day, but there is hope that Malaysia will also see more recoveries. This is also why it’s important to adhere to official guidelines to practice social distancing by staying at home, as the MCO period has been extended till 14th April 2020 in an effort to “flatten the curve” of the virus spread.
Read updates on COVID-19 below: