Although the Covid-19 pandemic is in its sixth month, the global transmission shows no sign of slowing. While all over the world, countries are preparing for a second wave, the first wave is still strong, swelling up into a tsunami.

Two days ago, 141,973 new cases were confirmed worldwide – the highest daily increase in the coronavirus transmissions since the pandemic began.

There have been great global changes since Malaysia imposed the movement control order (MCO) on March 18.

Four of the world’s top 10 countries in terms of cumulative total of Covid-19 confirmed cases – China, France, South Korea and Switzerland – have dropped out of the list, to be replaced by Brazil, Russia, India and Peru.

China, which was top No. 1 country in the world with 80,907 Covid-19 confirmed cases have now dropped to No. 19 and South Korea with 8,560 cases from No. 8 position to No. 56.

The top ten countries with Covid-19 cases are now:

1. USA – 2,142.224

2. Brazil – 850,796

3. Russia – 520,129

4. India – 321,626

5. UK – 294,375

6. Spain – ` 290,685

7. Italy – 236,651

8. Peru – 220,749

9. Germany – 187,423

10. Iran – 184,955

Brazil, which had less Covid-19 confirmed cases than Malaysia on March 18, has shot up to become the second-highest country in the world both in terms of 850,796 Covid-19 confirmed cases and coronavirus death toll with 42,791 fatalities.

Experts say the true number of cases could be 10 or 15 times higher in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America with a population of 212 million.

The United States has by far the highest death toll of 117,527 fatalities and highest caseload of 2.14 million in the world.

By current trends, it has been estimated that Brazil will overtake the United States in per-capita deaths by mid-July and by total number of fatalities by end-July.

In comparison, despite facing a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia has done comparatively well by world standards in bringing the pandemic under control, as we have fallen from Top No. 18th country in terms of Covie-19 confirmed cases on March 18 to the No. 66th position – with fewer Covid-19 infections than in Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines when we were the leading nation in South East Asia in terms of coronavirus infections on March 18.

Malaysia’s greatest poser in the post-Covid pandemic era is how Malaysians can be free of a government held to ransom by six MPs who are facing corruption charges in the courts, as this will greatly impact on the success or failure of the national exit plan strategy and blueprint to prevent a resurgence of the Covid-19 outbreak and ensure the quickest national economic and social recovery devastated by the pandemic.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Sunday, 14th June 2020)