KUALA TERENGGANU: The COVID-19 situation in the Besut district is worrying, following an 835 per cent increase in positive cases recorded since April, said Terengganu Health director Dr Nor Azimi Yunus.

She said that while only 60 positive cases were recorded in March, the figure surged to 561 for April and May.

"From April 1 to May 8, we have carried out 9,936 screening tests and, of the total, 662 tested positive. The COVID-19 situation in Besut is worrying.

"This data clearly shows a very high rate of infection within the community and we are worried that it will be difficult to curb the spread of the virus," she said in a post on her Facebook page today.

According to the Terengganu State Health Department, there were 166 recoveries today and 93 new cases, bringing the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in the state to 4,941.

Of the 93 new cases, 43 were recorded in the Besut district.

-- BERNAMA