After recording the lowest number of new cases on the first day of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), yesterday, the number of new positive cases of COVID-19 today rose again to two figures with 31 new cases.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this pushed the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Malaysia to 8,369 cases with a total number of active cases with infectivity at 1,186 cases.

"Of the 20 cases proliferating locally, 11 cases are imported cases with the infection occurring abroad, 19 are non-citizens and only one is a Malaysian citizen. namely, a case in Selangor during a screening at a tahfiz centre,’’ he told a media conference on the daily development of COVID-19, here, today.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, of the 19 non-citizen cases, 16 cases were from the Pedas Cluster in Negeri Sembilan while the Kampung Sungai Lui Cluster, Selangor and the Kuala Lumpur Cleaning Company Cluster, each recorded one case.

In addition, he also announced a screening case involving a worker in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, 51 cases had recovered and discharged today, bringing the cumulative number of cases which had fully recovered and discharged at 7,065 cases (84.4 per cent of the total).

Dr Noor Hisham, said, until to date, five positive cases were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and no cases needed breathing assistance.

He said no increase in COVID-19 related deaths was reported today, maintaining the cumulative number of death cases at 118 cases.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham thanked media practitioners including journalists, photographers and sign interpreters who played a leading role as frontliners in providing accurate information and combating fake COVID-19 news.

"Various mass media platforms, social media and new media have been used to keep people informed with accurate, fast and reliable information on the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The Ministry of Health would like to thank all the journalists who have played such an important role as the frontline in presenting the true situation of COVID-19 to the public," he said.

He also praised the netizens who carried out their social responsibilities by uploading and disseminating accurate and authentic information on COVID-19, the Movement Control Order (MCO) and related information provided by the government.

“However, there are some netizens who are being irresponsible by spreading false information, slander and, more seriously, some of them are instigating the public to disregard the rules and advice given,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham cautioned the public to be careful before disseminating any suspected content and could channel information to the Quick Response Team at ‪03-8911 5103‬ or surf the website at a href="http://www.sebenarnya.my"www.sebenarnya.my/a to check the authenticity of a news item.

-- BERNAMA