Malaysia Virus Cases Spike After Outbreak at 16,000-Strong Event

(Bloomberg) --

A religious gathering at a mosque in Malaysia attended by 16,000 people has led to a spike in coronavirus cases in the country and some of its neighbors.

Malaysia reported an additional 190 confirmed infections on Sunday, an increase of 80% of cases over a day and bringing its total to 428. Most of the cases stemmed from a Muslim religious gathering held from Feb. 27 to March 1, which authorities said was attended by 14,500 Malaysians and about 1,500 foreigners. Malaysia is the worst-infected nation in the Southeast Asia.

The religious gathering has led to neighboring Singapore shutting activities at its mosques for two weeks after some of its citizens attended the event and later tested positive for the virus. In Brunei, 40 people have also been infected after some attended the gathering, the Borneo Bulletin reported.

On Saturday, Malaysia said about 4,900 Malaysians who attended the event had been identified, with just over 3,000 having been screened or tested. More than 1,600 had displayed respiratory tract infection symptoms, and 137 have been sent to hospital.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ameya Karve in Singapore at akarve@bloomberg.net;Anuradha Raghu in Kuala Lumpur at araghu3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Yudith Ho

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