![[UPDATED] Covid-19 cases fall further with 19,631 infections, 293 deaths](https://media.thevibes.com/images/uploads/covers/_large/17022021-SHAH_ALAM_-_TARGETED_COMMUNITY_SCREENING_COVID_TEST-SADIQ-15.jpg)
KUALA LUMPUR – Coronavirus cases continue to dip in the country, with 19,631 infections today.
The Health Ministry said the nationwide caseload now stands at 1,444,270.
Selangor recorded the highest number of infections with 5,753, followed by Sabah (2,103), Kedah (1,863), Kuala Lumpur (1,765), Johor (1,309), Penang (1,275), Kelantan (1,268) and Perak (1,101).
States with fewer than 1,000 infections are Sarawak (835), Pahang (670), Melaka (623), Terengganu (498), Negri Sembilan (490), Putrajaya (41) and Perlis (37).
Labuan did not record any infection.
A total of 293 fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 13,077.
Of the total, Selangor claimed 90, Kuala Lumpur (47), Johor (42), Pahang (21), Perak and Melaka (19 each), Sabah (15), Kedah and Negri Sembilan (9 each), Penang (8), Kelantan (7), Terengganu (5) and Sarawak (2).
The ministry said 44 deaths have been classified as brought-in-dead.
The nation celebrates 16,468 recoveries, but of the 1,054 patients in intensive care, 525 require breathing support.
Of the 19,631 cases today, only 60 (81.7%) are in Category 4 and need oxygen (81.7% yet to complete vaccination) and 78 (0.4%) are in Category 5 and need ventilator support (80.8% yet to complete vaccination).
The ministry said as of yesterday, the national infectivity rate stood at 1.05.
Perlis logged the highest rate at 1.25, followed by Sarawak (1.23) and Kelantan (1.19). All states recorded a rate of above 1.0, except for Labuan, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.
As many as 39 new clusters were detected, of which 23 are linked to worksites in Kedah, Pahang, Penang, Kelantan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Sarawak, involving 709 infections.
Thirteen community clusters in Melaka, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak recorded 462 cases; two detention centre clusters in Penang recorded 102; and, a high-risk group cluster in Selangor recorded 16. – The Vibes, August 17, 2021
