MP SPEAKS | The Health Ministry (MOH) must immediately update its daily reporting data to provide a more contextual reflection of the Covid-19 statistics.

On Sunday, July 25, the ministry announced a daily record of 17,045 positive Covid-19 cases. This was a third consecutive daily record registered, after reporting 15,573 and 15,902 cases on 23 and 24 July respectively.

Yesterday, MOH announced a much welcome reduction of new cases to 14,516. Many perhaps would have breathed a sigh of relief.

Many news agencies also assisted in perpetuating the impression of a reduced incidence of positive cases. If not for the fact that Malaysia also registered a record 207 daily deaths, the reports would have been even more hopeful.

Unfortunately, it was obviously too good to be true.

From July 23 to 25, the total daily test samples taken were 137,326, 155,193 and 137,214 respectively. The resultant positivity rates were 11.34 percent, 10.25 percent and 12.42 percent.

For July 26, the total test samples taken was only 119,190, providing a positivity rate of 12.18 percent.

Effectively, the reduced number of positive cases announced yesterday...