A notice showing no stock of mask and hand sanitizer is seen in a pharmacy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 16, 2020. Malaysia on Monday announced 125 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 553, said the Health Ministry. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia on Monday announced 125 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 553, said the Health Ministry.
Of the new cases, at least 95 had been traced to a large scale religious event held in the capital of Kuala Lumpur from late February to early March, Health Minister Adham Baba said in a statement.
A total of 42 cases has been cured and discharged, while 12 are currently being held in intensive care and in need of assisted breathing.
Adham added that the country has entered the late containment stage of the outbreak following a constant increase of confirmed cases in the past week, during which the health authorities have aimed to curb the spread of the infection to prevent it from getting serious.
He also said the ministry is also preparing for a mitigation stage later with additional measures being taken such as the conversion of a major hospital to only take COVID-19 cases, increase the laboratory capacity and capability to test cases while identifying quarantine centers nationwide.
The number of cases in the country has seen a dramatic spike in recent days with 190 cases being confirmed on Sunday and a significant number of the some 15,000 participants of the religious event having shown symptoms of respiratory illness.
