The Health Ministry has denied manipulating the data on COVID-19 cases recorded daily, as claimed by certain quarters.

Its director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told a press conference yesterday that the numbers were compiled by the ministry until 12 noon every day, using the public health information system in each state.

He said the Covid-19 data was collected by MOH until 12 noon every day using the public health information system in each state.

"It is not done by me alone, but together with the team behind the scene from day one.

"Let's not only accept the data when zero (COVID-19) is recorded. There are parties who do not accept the data when 1,000 cases are recorded," Noor Hisham said, in reply to a question on the matter.

Although he did not mention names, there have been claims of the ministry manipulating the data on the pandemic, especially in the past week, when Putrajaya tried to push for the implementation of a health "emergency", citing the spike in COVID-19 cases.

A total of 1,240 new COVID-19 cases were recorded yesterday - the highest since the pandemic began in the country early this year.

Last Saturday, 1,228 new cases were recorded, which was the first time new infection numbers crossed four figures.

In view of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the government yesterday extended the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Selangor, Putrajaya, and Kuala Lumpur, for another two weeks. The initial CMCO was supposed to end today, but the further extension will see the partial lockdown last until Nov 9.

As of yesterday, there has been a total of 27,805 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with 236 deaths.

The global infection and death tally from the coronavirus has surpassed 43.7 million, and 1.16 million, respectively.


Source: Bernama
Photo source: Astro Awani