COVID-19 in Malaysia: Descriptive Epidemiologic Characteristics of the First Wave

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of COVID-19 cases and close contacts during the first wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia (23 January 2020 to 26 February 2020), and to analyse the reasons why the outbreak did not continue to spread and lessons that can be learnt from this experience. Characteristics of the cases and close contacts, spatial spread, epidemiological link, and timeline of the cases were examined. An extended SEIR model was developed using several parameters such as the average number of contacts per day per case, the proportion of close contact traced per day and the mean daily rate at which infectious cases are isolated to determine the basic reproduction number (R0) and trajectory of cases. During the first wave, a total of 22 cases with 368 close contacts were traced, identified, tested, quarantine and isolated. Due to the effective and robust outbreak control measures put in place such as early case detection, active screening, extensive contact tracing, testing and prompt isolation/quarantine, the outbreak was successfully contained and controlled. The SEIR model estimated the R0 at 0.9 which further supports the decreasing disease dynamics and early termination of the outbreak. As a result, there was a 11-day gap (free of cases) between the first and second wave which indicates that the first wave was not linked to the second wave.

Exploring the Impact and Prevention of Epidemics from a New Perspective: COVID-19 Transmission through Express Boxes

“…Further, susceptible people have the probability β to be infected, susceptible people transform into infected people according to the rate α ( α is the reciprocal of the average incubation period), and infected people have the probability γ to recover into cured/recovered people. During the pandemic, many scholars have used the above two models to predict the development trend of COVID-19 [ 25 , 26 , 27 ]. This paper is based on the existence of realistic cases of infected express boxes, combined with the fact that coronaviruses themselves resemble soft colloidal spheres, with the function of adsorbing on the surface of objects and suspending in the air, and can remain highly active on the surface of inanimate objects, transfer and hide [ 20 , 28 ], also relied on the findings that coronaviruses can transfer and spread on the surface of objects, such as leather, for up to 48 h [ 29 ], to study the transmission of infection in express boxes caused by the attachment and transfer of coronaviruses on the surface of paper or plastic-type express boxes.…”

Secondary and Co-Infections in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Malaysia

“…This first wave lasted for almost three weeks, and the total number of cases was considered low with full recovery. Twenty-two cases were reported, with twenty imported cases and two local transmission cases, and no deaths [17,18]. After an eleven-day hiatus, a second wave commenced on 27 February 2020 due to a religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which was held from 27 February to 1 March 2020 and attended by 14,500 attendees.…”

Molecular evolution and structural analyses of spike protein COVID-19 variants in Negeri Sembilan of peninsular Malaysia

“…The first COVID-19 case in Malaysia was reported on 25th January 2020, followed by 21 cases on consecutive days. This wave was subsequently marked as the first of the country’s total four waves of infection (3). Subsequent outbreaks were then initiated by mass gatherings and were further strained by burdened healthcare systems (4).…”