[UPDATED] Covid-19 cases reverse downward trend, back up to 19,495

KUALA LUMPUR – New Covid-19 cases climbed back up to 19,495 to take the cumulative total to 2,030,935 infections, said Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The health director-general said the country also recorded 18,760 recoveries today, bringing the total discharged to 1,783,339.

In a statement, he said Sarawak tops the list of new infections with 4,709 cases, followed by Selangor (2,710), Sabah (2,015), Johor (1,860), Penang (1,757), Kelantan (1,434), Kedah (1,178) and Perak (1,174).

States that logged less than 1,000 cases are Terengganu with 993, followed by Pahang (766), Kuala Lumpur (363), Negri Sembilan (222) Melaka (190), Perlis (108) and Putrajaya (16). Labuan saw no new infections.

The Health Ministry said non-intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy at hospitals has reached 74%, while 81% of ICU beds are occupied.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said 1,272 cases are under intensive care, while 641 require breathing assistance.

Also, 92.2% of the adult population are fully vaccinated as of yesterday, and 75.4% has received the first dose.

This takes the total population fully vaccinated to 54.1%, while 66.3% has received the first dose.

Dr Noor Hisham said that out of the 19,495 cases recorded today, only 308 are under Categories 3, 4, and 5, while 19,187 cases are in Categories 1 and 2.

The country has seen a total of 5,207 clusters since the pandemic began last year, including 25 new clusters today.

Clusters that have ended stand at 3,783 while 1,424 remain active.

Dr Noor Hisham said 14 clusters involve workplaces, seven from the community, two from high-risk groups, one from an education centre, and one from religious activity.

The cluster with the lowest new infections is the Kg Banggol Stol community cluster in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, with seven cases, while the Sebobok community cluster in Bau, Sarawak, recorded the highest infections with 76 cases.

In Sabah, Kota Kinabalu recorded the highest number of 21 deaths, bringing the fatality toll to a new high of 71.

State Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Sandakan came in second with 18 deaths, followed by Tawau (15), Lahad Datu (3), Penampang (3), Kota Belud (2), and Papar (2), while Kota Marudu, Putatan, Kalabakan, Pitas, Kinabatangan, Tuaran and Keningau reported one each.

“The number of deaths may not have happened in the last 24 hours,” said Masidi in reference to backlogged death reports by the state Health Department.

The department has not released the actual figure, pending confirmation on the causes of death.

Masidi also said Sabah logged 2,015 new cases today while the number of active cases is 4,520.

A total of 1,607 are undergoing treatment at hospitals, 2,822 are at low-risk quarantine centres, 84 in temporary detention centres and jails, and seven in private medical facilities.

“The number of patients in critical care is 202, including 161 in ICUs and 21 in open wards, and 67 are in need of ventilation machines,” said Masidi in his daily briefing. – The Vibes, September 15, 2021