KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia today recorded its highest-ever daily Covid-19 toll at 3,309 cases, a day before the movement control order takes effect in the country’s six worst-affected states.
The Health Ministry said this brings cumulative infections to 141,533, and with another four fatalities, the death toll has hit 559.
Two of the new deaths were recorded at Sg Buloh Hospital, and one each at Taiping Hospital and Ipoh’s Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.
Another 1,469 recoveries push the total to 110,584.
Six of today’s infections were imported.
Of the active cases, 190 are in intensive care, with 83 requiring ventilators.
Less than a week ago, on January 7, Malaysia recorded 3,027 new cases.
Selangor remains the state with the highest number of fresh cases at 1,008, of which one was imported, and 825 infections detected in clusters and from contact tracing.
Johor is second with 442 cases, and Sabah third with 409.
Kuala Lumpur logged 330 cases (4 imported), followed by Penang (317), Perak (241), Sarawak (147; 1 imported), Pahang (96), Kelantan (86), Negri Sembilan (85), Kedah (62), Putrajaya (36), Melaka (21), Terengganu (20) and Labuan (15).
Perlis did not register fresh infections today.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry detected 11 new clusters today.
The Jalan Manan workplace cluster in Meru, Klang, was identified as a result of targeted screening at a factory. So far, 311 individuals have been screened, with 83 testing positive.
The Persiaran Kuala cluster involves Petaling, Klang and Sabak Bernam, and is also the result of targeted screening at a factory in Persiaran Kuala Selangor. As of today, there are 44 positive cases.
The Udarama workplace cluster in Lembah Pantai comes after targeted screening of a company providing security guards who are living at the Udarama hostel complex. The cluster now has 21 Covid-19 cases.
The Iris workplace cluster involves a supermarket in Lembah Pantai, with the name referring to the residence of its index cases – Iris Apartment in Taman Desa. Of the 414 individuals screened, 11 were found positive.
The Jalan Kiara cluster covers Kepong and Cheras, and was identified after targeted screening of a supermarket. Of the 85 individuals, 22 cases have been detected.
The Dialisis Batu cluster involves Titiwangsa, Cheras and Kepong, with cases detected at a dialysis centre in Taman Perindustrian IKS, Batu Caves. Of the 14 people screened, six tested positive.
In Bintulu, Sarawak, the Bukit Sekubong cluster's index cases were detected at Rumah Jilan in the Sebauh district. Of 32 people screened, 21 tested positive.
The Kg Badak cluster in Bachok and Kota Baru, Kelantan, and Hulu Langat, Selangor, comes after screening of an individual with a travel history to Selangor. Of the 170 people screened, 39 were found positive.
The Taman Kesedar cluster in Gua Musang, Kelantan, was detected after an individual with a travel history to Kuala Lumpur was screened for Covid-19. Of the 157 individuals screened, 14 were found positive.
The Dialisis Putra cluster in Presint 9, Putrajaya, comes after cases were detected at a dialysis centre. Ten tested positive after 25 people were screened.
Lastly, the index case in the Permint Harmoni cluster in Kuala Terengganu had severe acute respiratory infection (Sari) and tested positive for Covid-19 on January 7. Of the 52 individuals screened, eight were found positive. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021
