CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia has suffered its first Covid-19 fatality since May 22, said Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in his daily briefing today.

"The 116th fatality (patient 7733) was a Malaysian male aged 61 with a history of diabetes, hypertension, and kidney cancer. He was admitted to the Hajjah Khalsom General Hospital, Johor on May 29, 2020, and passed away on June 4, 2020, at 10.20pm," said Dr Noor Hisham.

He said as of June 5, noon, there were 19 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total to 8,266 cases.

There were 51 patients who have recovered and were discharged today meaning that 6,610 (80 percent) have recovered in total.

The movement control order (MCO) and conditional MCO have also reduced incidence of infectious diseases such as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), measles, and chickenpox, said Noor Hisham.

He added that of the 19 new Covid-19 positive cases reported today, seven are imported cases and 12 are locally transmitted, of which nine are Malaysians and three, non-Malaysians.

Six Covid-19 patients are reported to be in intensive care units with one of them requiring a ventilator for breathing, he said.

There are currently 1,540 active cases being treated at the country’s health facilities, Noor Hisham added.

Elaborating on the incidences of other diseases, he said that a comparative analysis of diseases reported up to the 22nd week of 2019 versus the 22nd week of 2020 saw a significant decrease in the number of some contagious diseases.

HFMD had a reduction of 44.6 percent cases, measles had a 58.3 percent case decrease and chickenpox saw a decrease of 44.4 cases over that time frame.

"The decline in these cases is one of the positive results of the implementation of the MCO and the conditional MCO which were also assisted by hygienic practices.

"However, in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak, it is feared that there is also a decline in immunisation rates for babies and children, possibly as parents are worried about taking the little ones out of the house to the clinic," said Noor Hisham.