People wearing face masks queue at a bus stop in Kuala Lumpur December 18, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
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KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Malaysia’s current Covid-19 infections have continued to exceed a Health Ministry projection that would put the country at over 5,000 cases a day before the end of May.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah disclosed that the current effective reproduction number (Rt) for Covid-19 in the country was 1.12, but shared a graph that showed observed cases to surpass a projection curve with an Rt of 1.2.
By state, the Rt was currently highest in Kelantan at 1.32, which was reflected by the movement control order currently in effect there.
Kuala Lumpur (1.23) was second-highest, ahead of Johor (1.21), Selangor (1.14), Melaka (1.13), Sabah (1.01) and Penang (0.99).
Kadar kebolehjangkitan Covid-19 atau Ro/Rt pada jangkaan mengikut kes seharian pada 27 hb April 2021 untuk seluruh negara adalah 1.12. Manakala pecahan mengikut negeri adalah seperti di lampiran. pic.twitter.com/JPOIsT2IUV
— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) April 27, 2021
The Rt projects the average number of people that each new Covid-19 patient will infect over a given period. Any figure above 1.0 indicates that the pandemic is expanding.
New cases have now returned to the level that prompted the government to reintroduce the movement control order (MCO) in several states back in January.
While the move had suppressed the infection rate, Covid-19 cases have grown in tandem with the lifting of nearly all restrictions other than interstate travel.
The country is also heading into a crucial festive period next month when the Muslim community will usher in their holy month of Aidilfitri.
Yesterday, Malaysia reported 2,733 more Covid-19 infections to make it 14 consecutive days that new cases have gone over 2,000.