![[UPDATED] Covid-19: downtrend persists with 18,688 cases, but deaths reach new high of 360](https://media.thevibes.com/images/uploads/covers/_large/17022021-SHAH_ALAM_-_TARGETED_COMMUNITY_SCREENING_COVID_TEST-SADIQ-16.jpg)
KUALA LUMPUR – The nation logged 18,688 new Covid-19 infections today, bringing the cumulative tally to 1,262,540 cases since the start of the pandemic.
Though fresh cases are on a downtrend, deaths spiked by more than 100 with 360 fatalities today, compared with 257 on August 4.
In terms of fresh infections, far and away in the lead is Selangor with 6,565 cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur (1,883), Kedah (1,610), Sabah (1,379), Johor (1,308), and Negri Sembilan (1,140).
Other states marked fewer than 1,000 cases, including Kelantan with 870 infections, followed by Perak (861), Penang (694), Pahang (602), Terengganu (598), Sarawak (581), Melaka (526), and Perlis (6).
Putrajaya and Labuan logged 63 and two cases, respectively.
Of the total, 10 were imported cases.
Meanwhile, 17,055 recoveries were reported today, for a cumulative total of 1,026,398 discharged so far.
Intensive care units now hold 1,095 Covid-19 patients, while 571 require breathing aid.
Of the cases today, the Health Ministry said 401 cases (2.1%) are in Categories 3, 4, and 5, while 18,287 cases (97.9%) are in Categories 1 and 2.
The nation’s infectivity rate (Rt) currently stands at 1.08 as of yesterday.
Perlis has the highest rate at 1.47, followed by Kelantan (1.25), Sabah (1.18), and Penang (1.18).
All states have an Rt of more than 1.0 except Labuan (0).
The Health Ministry also reported 39 new clusters with 18 linked to worksites in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Pahang, Sarawak, Terengganu, Kedah, Negri Sembilan, Penang and Kelantan, altogether recording 605 cases.
Fifteen community clusters in Kelantan, Pahang, Sarawak, Terengganu, Selangor, and Kedah logged 400 fresh cases, while two detention centre clusters in Perak and Pahang recorded 80. Two high-risk group clusters in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur registered 36 cases.
A religious cluster in Kedah logged 38 cases and a higher learning institute cluster in Kelantan recorded 13 cases. – The Vibes, August 8, 2021
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