COVID-19: The epidemiological hotspot and the disease spread in Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This paper focuses on the epidemiological hotspot of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia and the population incidence rates under Movement Control Orders (MCOs). Methods: Dataset from the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) were employed to determine the cumulative incidence rates by using population-based reference data from confirmed infections (cases/10,000 population) and the mapping was done by geographical information systems (GIS) software for three phases of MCOs (17th March - 28th April 2020) in Peninsular Malaysia. Results: The total number of COVID-19 cases reported by MCOs for 42 days was 4,580 and the incidence rate was 17.72 per 100,000 population. The trend of daily new COVID-19 cases reported across the MCOs was 1,949 cases in the first 14 days of the epidemic (MCO1) (the incidence rate of 7.54 per 100,000 population), 1,930 cases during MCO2 (incidence rate of 7.47 per 100,000 population) and 701 cases during the MCO3 (incidence rate of 2.71 per 100,000 population). Conclusion: The MCOs had a significant impact on case reduction. GIS is a useful tool in mapping cases distribution patterns and incidence rates during the MCOs that will assist in the decision making, and more importantly, in social mobilization and community responses. © 2021 UPM Press. All rights reserved.