KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The number of new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia outpaced the recoveries for a second day in a row after another 37 new cases were reported, pushing the national total to 6,978 cases, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press briefing that of the new cases, 35 were local transmissions and two were imported cases.
One new death has been reported, with the patient having suffered from health problems before being infected, pushing the total deaths to 114. Another 31 cases were released, bringing the total of those cured and discharged to 5,646 or 80.9 percent of all cases.
Noor Hisham also warned the public to observe the restrictions under the movement control order after videos and pictures emerged showing crowds of people shopping for the Eid al-Fitr celebrations which will come later this month.
Meanwhile, the authority of Malaysia's largest Port Klang said on Monday that the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been quarantined in Yokohama, Japan due to a previous COVID-19 outbreak among its passengers and crew, is on its way to Malaysia to replenish its stores and refuel, and is expected to arrive by May 26 or 27 after leaving Japan.
Port Klang Authority's chairman Chong Sin Woon said in the statement that the cruise ship has been disinfected and certified to be free of COVID-19 cases among its 172 fresh crews on board without passengers.
The ship will stay in Port Klang for one or two days with no signing off among its crew when in Malaysia. No information is available as to the vessel's next port after Port Klang, the statement added. Enditem
