More deaths from COVID-19, many infected by close family members

Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin visiting the AztraZeneca vaccination centre at the World Trade Centre Sunday afternoon. He was accompanied by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Health Facebook..

PUTRAJAYA, May 17 – The Ministry of Health reported 36 news deaths today in the country due to COVID-19 infections, many of them having been infected by close family members.

The situation is also becoming more dire in handling the dead, whereby the Forensic Department of Hospital Sungai Buloh, where six people died today, has had to prepare a special container as an additional place to keep those who have died from the virus.

In its Facebook page, the ministry also said 80 percent of those who have died from the COVID-19 in the country were from the older age group and had at least one chronic disease or comorbidity.

The ministry also called on people to practice more vigilance and help keep their family members safe, amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, with today’s figures, the number of people who have died from the virus stands at 1,902. The highest number of cases came from Selangor (8), followed by Penang (6) and Sarawak and Kedah, both of which reported 5 deaths respectively.

The oldest to succumb today to the virus was a 93-year-old while the youngest was a 29-year-old.

–WE