KUALA LUMPUR: Only 1.5% or 201 of the latest 13,104 new Covid-19 cases reported are in the more serious categories.

       They are Categories Three (pneumonia), Four (require oxygen support) and Five (need ventilator).

       Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the remaining 12,903 cases or 98.5% were in Category One with no symptoms or in Category Two, having minor symptoms.

       Of the latest daily cases (from noon Sept 25 to noon yesterday), eight were imported involving three Malaysians and five foreigners while 13,096 were locally transmitted involving 11,892 Malaysians and 1,204 foreign nationals.

       “There were also 20,971 recovery cases recorded, bringing the tally in the country to 1,989,512 or 90.5%,” he said in his daily update yesterday.

       He added that of the 1,058 cases being treated at the intensive care unit, 850 were confirmed Covid-19-positive and 208 were suspected, possible and under-investigation cases.

       Dr Noor Hisham said 580 of the cases required respiratory support, with 365 of these being confirmed as Covid-19-positive and 215 being suspected, possible and under-investigation cases.

       He also said 12 new clusters were detected, with half of these linked to workplaces and the other half within the community.

       Dr Noor Hisham said the anticipated Covid-19 infectivity rate or R-naught (Rt) based on the new cases nationwide on Saturday was 0.91 while Pahang and Putrajaya recorded the highest at 1.02.

       “The Rt of below 1.0 was recorded by other states with Terengganu recording 0.98, Perak and Kelantan (0.97), Sarawak (0.96), Johor (0.95), Perlis (0.93), Melaka, Negri Sembilan and Selangor (0.89), Penang (0.88), Sabah (0.86), Kedah (0.85), Kuala Lumpur (0.84) and Labuan (zero).”

       The number of fatalities will be uploaded for display on the GitHub website and CovidNow at https://covidnow.moh.gov.my at night.

       Meanwhile in Langkawi, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said that teachers who refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 may be transferred elsewhere if their decision causes the teaching and learning (PdP) process of students to be affected.

       The Senior Education Minister said this was one of the solutions being mulled in the interest of the students’ safety.

       He stressed that this issue should not be allowed to prolong and transfers, including interstate, might be carried out to resolve it.

       Radzi, speaking to reporters after visiting the Langkawi Vocational College yesterday, said that even in the early stages, teachers who refused to be vaccinated had been advised and given sufficient time to get their vaccine jabs.

       “Of the 2,500 teachers who refused to be vaccinated, now there are only about 2,000 of them.

       “This may look like a small number but we cannot let this go on, and we must take immediate action,” he added.

       His ministry is waiting for the Public Service Department to decide on the appropriate form of action to be taken against the teachers.

       On the vaccination of teenagers, Radzi said although he could not make any conclusion regarding the process now, it did look to be running very well and in an orderly manner.

       “The vaccination programme for teenagers just started and we are monitoring parents’ acceptance but, so far, there is good acceptance and parents are determined in sending their children to get vaccinated and we will continue to monitor the situation,” he said. — Bernama