Health Ministry confirms third Covid-19 death

CORONAVIRUS | A third Malaysian has died from Covid-19, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced today.

Noor Hisham said the deceased was "Patient 152", a 58-year-old man who was part of the tabligh cluster.

He died at 6.27pm at Tawau Hospital, Sabah.

According to Noor Hisham, Patient 152 was admitted to hospital on March 9 with severe acute respiratory infection.

He was given a ventilator and warded at the intensive care unit where his health deteriorated day-by-day.

Patient 152 is the second death linked to the tabligh gathering at a mosque in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur late last month.

Bernama reported the deceased was safely buried at a Muslim cemetary at 10.20pm.

He was brought to the cemetery by five hospital staff donned in full personal protective equipment about 20 minutes earlier, and no one was allowed to come near until the burial is complete.

On Tuesday, a 34-year-old tabligh attendee, "Patient 178", also succumbed to the virus.

A majority of 1,030 cases of Covid-19 in the country are linked to the gathering which was attended by some 14,500 Malaysians.

Thus far, 10,000 of the attendees have been traced.

Police have forcibly brought in at least two people who had connections to the gathering for Covid-19 testing.