KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia recorded its highest number of Covid-19 cases yet, breaching the 3,000 mark for the first time, as the country struggles to keep the numbers under control.
The latest figure of 3,027 infections today eclipses the previous record of 2,593 yesterday, with the cumulative cases now standing at 128,465.
In a statement, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah also announced eight new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 521.
With 2,145 individuals discharged today (with a total 102,723 recoveries) there are now 25,221 active cases in the country.
According to Noor Hisham, Johor recorded the highest number of infections today with 1,103 (36.4% of overall cases), followed by Selangor (706) and Sabah (493).
The other cases are reported in Kuala Lumpur (316), Penang (111), Kelantan (66), Negri Sembilan (63), Perak (59), Kedah (30), Pahang (25), Putrajaya (17), Sarawak (14), Malacca (11), Terengganu (10) and Labuan (3).
Perlis is the only state with no new infections.
Noor Hisham said that of the new 3,027 cases today, six are imported.
“For locally-transmitted infections, 1,577 involve Malaysians, while the remaining 1,444 are foreigners,” he said.
He added that at present, 142 Covid positive individuals are admitted to the intensive care unit, with 63 of them requiring ventilator support.
Today’s record number comes just a day after Noor Hisham said the public health intervention systems like contact tracing are breaking down.
He had also proposed a targeted version of the movement control order in a bid to reduce the strain on the healthcare system, which is struggling to cope with the number of patients.
Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry has identified nine new clusters today, meaning there are now a total of 254 active clusters, of which 52 recorded fresh infections.
The nine new clusters are Senai Murni (Kulai, Johor), Tapak Bina Hartamas (Hulu Langat, Selangor), Damai Pelangi (Hulu Selangor), Desa Setapak (Tititwangsa, KL), Jalan Jaya (Cheras, KL), Ziarah Putra (Putrajaya), and Tapak Bina Jalan Ipoh and Rungkup (Kepong, KL). - The Vibes, January 7, 2021
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