KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Another death has been recorded today, just hours after an earlier report of a doctor succumbing to the virus infection.

Ministry of Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah made the announcement today, in a press conference in Putrajaya.

"The 10th death case involves a Malaysian man, aged 74, from the tabligh cluster, that is Case 259,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

He said that the man was admitted to the Penang Hospital on March 13 and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 on March 14.

Dr Noor Hisham said that Malaysia currently has 1,306 Covid-19 cases, out of which 62 per cent, or 820 cases involved members from the Sri Petaling Mosque’s tabligh group.

On the latest casualty, Dr Noor Hisham said that the man was admitted to the hospital after showing symptoms on March 8.

"He tested positive on March 14, and put on a ventilator after his health continued to deteriorate.

"He was confirmed dead at 4.05pm, March 22, 2020,” he said.

On health screenings done by medical frontliners involved in the battle to contain the outbreak of Covid-19, Dr Noor Hisham said that 460 staff had undergone the Covid-19 screening, out of which 270 tested negative, with the remaining 190 still awaiting their results.

"MOH would also like to inform that we are concerned with the health of all MOH staff, including their mental health aspect. At all levels of the facility, MOH has prepared mental health services and psychosocial support for families and those affected emotionally from this Covid-19,” he added.

*Note: A previous edition of the story contained an error which has since been corrected.