This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on April 20, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded an increase in new Covid-19 infections at 84 cases yesterday, following two days of decline. This brings the total confirmed cases to 5,389.

The daily figure of new recoveries exceeded new cases for another day, but the number of new recoveries dropped to below 100 at 95 yesterday. The total number of discharged patients increased to 3,197 or 59.3% of total infections, according to the statistics released by the ministry of health.

There were 2,103 active cases in the country as of noon yesterday, slightly lower compared with 2,115 on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the country also saw one new death from the virus, bringing the total death toll to 89 or 1.7% of total cases.

The patient who passed away was a Malaysian male, aged 51, with a history of diabetes, hypertension, as well as heart and kidney problems.

A total of 46 patients were being treated in the intensive care unit, with 26 of them requiring breathing ventilators.

This is the fourth time that Malaysia has reported a double-digit figure for daily new infections since the movement control order was enforced on March 18 — all of which occurred in the last five days.

Malaysia has the fourth-highest number of Covid-19 infections in the Asean region after Singapore (6,588), Indonesia (6,575) and the Philippines (6,259).