KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Malaysia’s Covid-19 infection rate has almost returned to the same level that saw the country register a record of 9,020 cases at the end of May, according to the Health Ministry’s latest data.

While announcing an effective reproduction number (Rt) of 1.09 for Covid-19 infections nationally, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah appended the latest Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) projection that indicated Malaysia could be back to that level in days.

Yesterday, Malaysia recorded 8,868 more Covid-19 infections or the second-highest single-day figure since the pandemic arrived in Malaysia.

Of concern is that the rising trend is emerging after the country has already spent several weeks in various lockdowns, ranging from the "total lockdown” at the start of June to the current Phase One of the National Recovery Plan.

The government has also imposed an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in most of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, but both continue to be the main contributors of new cases.

Yesterday alone, Selangor added another 4,152 cases while KL gained 1,133.

Persistently high cases in days to come would add further pressure to the country’s health system that was already beyond capacity in some areas.

Demand on intensive care units at government hospitals rose to the highest ever level yesterday, with 952 confirmed Covid-19 patients being treated.

The strain on the healthcare system also appeared to be taking its toll on the survivability of Covid-19 patients as a record high of 135 deaths were reported yesterday.

Malaysia’s Covid-19 infections had declined at the start of June but this plateaued just over two weeks later. Since then, the country has seen new cases rising steadily to reach yesterday’s recent high.