PETALING JAYA: While main indicators such as average active cases, deaths and intensive care unit (ICU) cases are on a downward trend, national Covid-19 infectivity rate (Rt) has been rising, says the Health Ministry.

       Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the 45th epidemiological week from Nov 7-13 also recorded a rising trend of workplace and education clusters, after recording a decline in the weeks before.

       Due to the Rt increasing on a daily basis since Nov 6, new Covid-19 cases in the 45th epidemiological week have also risen by 11% more, compared to the week before, he said.

       The situation remained a concern for the ministry as the increase in new cases and Rt value from the previous week indicated a higher potential for community transmission of Covid-19 infection and a higher risk of exposure to be infected by the virus, said Dr Noor Hisham.

       “The increase in the value of Rt is directly proportional to the increase of new Covid-19 cases, especially if prevention measures are not fully observed by all parties.

       “Therefore, the community is urged not to be careless and to take proactive action to ensure Covid-19 infections can be reduced immediately in Malaysia,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 16).

       The Rt value refers to the level of infectivity of Covid-19, or the number of cases that can be potentially infected by one positive case.

       In the 45th epidemiological week, new Covid-19 cases increased by 11% from 35,303 cases in the week before to 39,181 cases, while average active cases decreased 5% from 65,573 to 62,224 cases in the period.

       Deaths decreased 1.3% from 380 cases to 375 cases in the 45th week, while the average number of cases requiring treatment in the ICU also declined 2% from 516 cases to 504.

       Cases requiring ventilatory assistance also went down 13.2%, from 214 cases to 186 in the 45th week, said Dr Noor Hisham.

       Meanwhile, the Rt value has increased from 0.96 (95% CI 0.95–0.97) to 1.05 (95% CI 1.04–1.06) since Nov 1.

       As of Nov 13, there were also a cumulative of 5,840 clusters reported of which only 278 clusters were still active, a decrease of 17% compared to the 44th epidemiological week.

       “However, workplace clusters, which were previously on a declining trend since the 37th week, are now beginning to increase again during the 45th week, in tandem with cross-state movements and the full reopening of the economic sectors in Phase Four states under the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

       “The education cluster is also showing an increase compared to the previous week, following the additional states that have entered Phase Four of the NRP and thus enabling classes to be conducted face-to-face,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

       Of the 41 clusters logged during the 45th week, 24 (58.5%) were workplace clusters, 11 (26.8%) stemmed from educational institutions, three (7.3%) from the community, two (4.9%) from high-risk groups, and the remaining cluster (2.5%) was from a detention centre.

       At the national level, the number of Covid-19 cases being treated has increased compared to the 44th week, with a rising number of patients in Categories Three, Four and Five.

       “Increase in the admission of Category 3 and Category 5 involves almost all states except Perlis, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Johor,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

       He also said during the 45th week, the Health Ministry had issued 251 compound notices to individuals, 29 to organisations, while 63 premises were closed by the ministry’s officers.

       Dr Noor Hisham also reported 5,413 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday (Nov 16) and 6,013 recoveries.

       The country has so far recorded a total of 2,461,780 recoveries, or 96.3% of the total number of cases.

       Of the 5,413 new cases, 102 cases or 1.9% were in Categories Three, Four and Five while 5,311 cases or 98.1% were in Categories One and Two.

       As of Tuesday (Nov 16), 545 cases were being treated in the ICU, with 264 cases requiring ventilatory assistance.

       Dr Noor Hisham also reported seven new clusters, bringing the total number of active clusters to 252, out of the cumulative number of 5,850 clusters reported since the pandemic began.