KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — As of noon, 190 new positive Covid-19 cases were reported in Malaysia, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 428, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba today.
This figure represents the biggest single-day jump in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia to date. It also makes Malaysia the worst affected country in South-east Asia.
“Based on initial investigations, the majority of these new cases are linked to the cluster involving the ‘ijtimak tabligh’ gathering at the Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque,” Dr Adham said in a statement released this evening.
Although Dr Adham did not give an exact figure today, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed yesterday that the Health Ministry (MOH) had already connected 77 cases to the event.
As at 7pm yesterday, MOH had said a total 4,942 participants from Malaysia have been identified. Of these, 3,206 have been tested for Covid-19.
MOH had also said all Malaysian participants and their close contacts will be placed under mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
The religious gathering, which took place in Kuala Lumpur between February 28 and March 1, was attended by an estimated 16,000 people.
Of the attendees, 14,500 were Malaysians and the rest were foreigners from around the region.
Neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia have all reported new Covid-19 cases involving their citizens who participated in the event.
Meanwhile, Dr Adham also announced in his statement that seven Covid-19 patients have been discharged from Sungai Buloh Hospital.
This raises to 42 the total number of patients who have recovered from the virus to date, he added.
At present, Dr Adham said the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care and on ventilators had increased from five to nine.
*A previous version of this story contained errors which have since been corrected.
