Daily Covid-19 cases could reach 8,000 by mid-March, warns health DG

Daily Covid-19 cases could reach 8,000 by mid-March, warns health DG

Based on health ministry projections, Malaysia should have only breached the 3,000 mark by the fourth week of January with an R0 of 1.2.

According to the health ministry’s projections, Malaysia will record 5,000 cases by the third week of February.
PETALING JAYA:
The health ministry estimates that daily Covid-19 infections could reach up to 8,000 by mid-March if the infection rate (R0, pronounced R naught) stays at 1.2.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah posted the ministry’s Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed model projections up to May 31 on Twitter.

The ministry had earlier predicted that, with an R0 of 1.2, Malaysia would only reach 3,000 daily cases by the fourth week of January.

However, Malaysia breached the 3,000 mark today, with Noor Hisham announcing there were a record high 3,027 Covid-19 cases.

According to the ministry’s projections, with an R0 of 1.2, Malaysia will record 5,000 cases by the third week of February and 8,000 by the third week of March.

Meanwhile, with an R0 of 1.1, Malaysia’s daily cases should only reach 3,000 daily cases by the second week of February, 5,000 by the second week of April and 8,000 by the fourth week of May.

Yesterday, Noor Hisham said that the current R0 was between 1.1 and 1.2.

However, he also said he expected the number of cases to rise even higher in the next one or two weeks after the New Year gatherings.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR LIVE UPDATE OF THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA

Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.