[UPDATED] 18,547 new Covid-19 cases, 311 fatalities today

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia today recorded 18,547 Covid-19 infections, making for a total of 1,880,734 since the pandemic began.

In the lead is Sarawak with 3,200, followed by Selangor (2,407), Johor (2,174), Sabah (2,107), Penang (1,776), Kedah (1,487), Kelantan (1,458) and Perak (1,197).

Pahang logged 742 cases, Terengganu (645), Kuala Lumpur (631), Melaka (448), Negri Sembilan (229), Putrajaya (22), Perlis (20) and Labuan (4).

As at 5pm yesterday, non-intensive care unit bed usage by coronavirus patients stood at 72%, and for ICU beds, 68%.

Up to 11.59pm yesterday, 63.3% of the Malaysian population had received one vaccine dose, while those who were fully vaccinated stood at 49.3%.

The Health Ministry said 311 coronavirus deaths were reported today, taking the overall toll to 18,802.

Another 18,902 recoveries push up the total to 1,609,930.

Of the 977 patients in intensive care, 447 are on ventilators.

In a statement, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the 18,547 new cases today, 308 (1.66%) are in Categories 3, 4 and 5, whereas 18,239 cases (98.34%) are in the less-severe Categories 1 and 2.

He said of the 311 deaths today, 93 victims were brought in dead.

Dr Noor Hisham also reported that the infectivity rate (R-naught) for the nation is below 1.0, at 0.96.

Despite Selangor having the highest infection rate nationwide, it has an R-naught reading of 0.88, while Sarawak has the highest at 1.19.

Johor recorded an R-naught of 1.10, Terengganu (1.08), Perlis (1.08), Penang (1.05), Perak (1.05), Kelantan (1.02) and Sabah (1.00). 

The country has seen a total of 4,960 clusters, including 39 new ones today. 

A total of 3,495 clusters have ended, leaving 1,465 active. 

Dr Noor Hisham said 23 of the new clusters are related to the workplace, community (13), and high-risk group, education institution and detention centre (1 each). – The Vibes, September 7, 2021