[UPDATED] Daily virus count tops 20,000 in a first; deaths breach 10,000

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has breached 20,000 new Covid-19 cases for the first time, recording a staggering 20,596 infections over the last 24 hours.

Selangor accounts for 8,549 cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur (2,163), Kedah (1,446), Johor (1,300), Sabah (1,062) and Penang (1,022).

Negri Sembilan claims 989 cases, Perak (916), Kelantan (772), Sarawak (759), Melaka (622), Terengganu (501) and Pahang (426).

Putrajaya has 50 cases, Labuan (15) and Perlis (4).

The latest figures take the national coronavirus tally to 1,203,706.

The Health Ministry said there are another 164 fatalities, making for a total of 10,019 lives lost since the pandemic began.

Of the 1,078 patients in intensive care, 549 require respiratory support.

Overall recoveries stand at 976,626 with the 13,893 registered today.

Of the fresh infections today, 20,198 cases (98.1%) are under to Categories 1 and 2, while 398 cases (1.9%) are under Categories 3, 4, and 5.

A total of 4,660 cases (22.6%) reported today involve individuals who have been vaccinated.

The ministry reported that the nation’s infectivity rate stands at 1.07.

Kelantan recorded the highest rate with (1.31), followed by Terengganu (1.26), Perak (1.22), Pahang (1.22), Penang (1.19), Sabah (1.17), Kedah (1.16), Johor (1.14), Kuala Lumpur (1.13), Sarawak (1.11), Selangor (1.08), Putrajaya (1.08), and Melaka (1.06).

Negri Sembilan recorded a rate lower than 1 with 0.94, while Perlis and Labuan each recorded zero.

Malaysia also registered 33 new clusters today.

Of the new clusters, 18 involve worksites in Melaka, Penang, Putrajaya, Selangor, Kelantan and Johor. They recorded 879 cases in total today.

Twelve community clusters in Kedah, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan and Sarawak recorded 275 cases in total.

Two detention clusters in Kedah and Perak recorded 53 cases, while a high-risk group cluster recorded 27 cases.

Sarawak ends three-week run of under 500 Covid-19 cases

The surge in Sarawak ends the state’s three-week run of recording under 500 coronavirus cases daily.

The state saw two deaths today: a 48-year-old woman in Bintulu and 61-year-old man in Miri, who was dead on arrival at hospital. The male victim did not have any comorbidity.

The fatalities take the state’s toll to 466.

Of Sarawak’s new cases, Kuching logged 330, Subis (160), Serian (70), Samarahan (36), Sibu (23) and other districts (fewer than 20).

One of the state’s new clusters is Kg Seratan Kuching, which has 352 Covid-19 cases.

The Nangga Serenggas cluster in Tatau sees 19 villagers infected, while the Kg Bintawa Ulu cluster in Kuching has 72 infections.

The Kg Sebat cluster in Lundu has 39 cases, and the Pueh Lundu cluster, 12. – The Vibes, August 5, 2021