KUALA LUMPUR: The 317 new Covid-19 cases recorded as of 12pm today marked the highest ever daily increase, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 12,088.
Health Ministry director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said all of the 317 cases reported were locally transmitted, involving 303 Malaysians, and 14 non-citizens.
He said the number of Covid-19 active cases with infectivity potential now stands at 1,735.
Twenty-nine patients remain in intensive care unit (ICU), with four of them in need of ventilator assistance.
He said three new clusters have been identified; the Bah Lunas and Bah Rose clusters in Kedah and the Jelok cluster in Selangor.
Noor Hisham added, since Sept 20, up to 176 of the reported Covid-19 cases had a history of travel to Sabah.
One death was reported today, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 137.
The 137th death (case no. 10,939) was that of a 57-year-old Malaysian man with a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and dyslipidemia.
"He started having symptoms of cough, lack of appetite and fever on Sept 10. On Sept 24, he suffered breathing difficulty and was taken to the Emergency Department of the Semporna Hospital before being referred to the Tawau Hospital on the same day.
"The patient was admitted to the ICU and put on ventilator support. Covid-19 tests turned out positive on Sept 28. His condition deteriorated and he was confirmed to have died at 11.44pm on Oct 2," Dr Noor Hisham added.
Giving a breakdown of today’s cases, he said Sabah had the most with 155, comprising 100 symptomatic screening cases involving 96 Malaysians and four foreigners; five cases from the Bangau-Bangau Cluster; 10 cases from the Benteng LD Cluster; four community screening cases; three cases from the Laut Cluster; two cases from the Joo Hwa Cluster; and one case from the Buang Sayang Cluster.
Kedah recorded the second-highest at 102 cases, comprising 97 cases from the Tembok Cluster; two cases from the screening of returnees from high-risk areas (Sabah); two cases from the new cluster of Bah Lunas; and one case from the Bah Ketil Cluster.
Dr Noor Hisham said Selangor recorded 32 new cases, comprising 15 cases of screening of returnees from high-risk areas (Sabah); 12 cases from the Jalan Meru Cluster; three cases from the new cluster of Jelok; and two cases of screening of close contacts of positive cases 11,147 and 11,047.
Terengganu had nine new cases; Johor, four; Sarawak, three; Negri Sembilan, one; and Kelantan and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, two each.
"The Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur had four cases, comprising two from the screening of returnees from high-risk areas (Sabah); one case from the Jalan Meru Cluster; and one case from the new cluster of Jelok," he added.
Penang recorded three new cases, comprising two cases of screening of returnees from high-risk areas (Sabah), and one case from the new cluster of Bah Rose. – Bernama, October 3, 2020.
