[UPDATED] 19,057 new Covid-19 cases; record-high 104 victims dead on arrival

KUALA LUMPUR – The country today recorded 19,057 new Covid-19 cases, making for 1,824,439 since the pandemic began.

In the lead is Selangor with 3,775, followed by Sarawak (2,723) and Sabah (2,279).

Johor saw 2,077 cases, Penang (1,558), Perak (1,450), Kelantan (1,434), Kedah (1,329), Kuala Lumpur (711), Terengganu (605), Pahang (410), Melaka (338), Negri Sembilan (242), Perlis (99), Putrajaya (18) and Labuan (9).

The Health Ministry reported another 362 coronavirus deaths, with 104 dead on arrival – a new record, topping the 101 registered on August 15.

The latest fatalities drive up the toll to 17,883.

Of the 978 patients in intensive care, 460 require breathing aid.

Overall recoveries stand at 1,550,254 with the 21,582 registered today.

In a series of tweets today, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said bed usage in intensive care units stood at 87%, and for non-ICU beds, 71%, as at 5pm yesterday.

As at 11.59pm yesterday, 86.6% of the adult population in Malaysia had received one vaccine dose, while 66.7% were fully vaccinated.

In a statement later, Dr Noor Hisham said 6,120 of today’s new cases, or 32.1%, have received both vaccine doses, 4,393 (23.1%) got one dose, and 8,544 (44.8%) are not immunised.

Of the overall fresh cases, 405 (2.1%) are in Categories 3, 4 and 5, with the remaining 18,652 (97.9%) in Categories 1 and 2.

Dr Noor Hisham added that 10 of today’s new cases were imported, while the national infectivity rate (R-naught) remains below 1.0 for the third consecutive day.

Despite Selangor having the most fresh infections nationwide, it has an R-naught reading of 0.88, while Sarawak has the highest at 1.14.

Perlis recorded an R-naught reading of 1.13, Johor (1.11), Terengganu and Penang (both 1.05), Sabah (1.04), Kelantan (1.03), Perak (1.02), Kedah (1.01) and Pahang (1.00).

Malaysia has seen a total of 4,854 clusters, including 16 confirmed today. Of the overall clusters, 1,455 remain active.

Twelve of the new clusters are related to the workplace, community (3) and educational institution (1).

100-year-old Sarawakian dies at home

Sarawak recorded two virus deaths today: a 100-year-old Bau man who died at home, and a 75-year-old man in Serian district.

The body of the victim in Bau was brought to the district hospital, and a test today confirmed he had Covid-19.

The Serian victim, too, was dead on arrival at the district hospital.

Both victims had hypertension.

The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee secretariat said the state’s death toll now stands at 549.

Of the 2,723 fresh infections logged statewide, 1,231 are in Kuching, Sibu (323), Bau (125), Betong (110), Mukah (104), Bintulu (100) and other districts (several dozen).

Back-up plan for Sabah

Sabah’s hospitals are planning to convert wards to house Covid-19 patients should there be a sudden surge in cases.

State health exco Shahelmey Yahya said he is confident that state hospitals are able to cope with the increasing number of coronavirus patients.

“Based on reports, they are ready to convert wards to add to the number of beds for Covid-19 patients. We are confident they can cope with the situation now.

“As for ventilators, our usage is now at 70%, so we still have 30% capacity left.” 

Sabah is expected to receive another two million Covid-19 vaccine doses this month, he said. 

“We are getting the doses, so hopefully, more people will turn up to get the jab.”

He said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will be in Kota Kinabalu on Monday to discuss additional supplies including vaccines, health personnel and medical equipment.

Shahelmey, who is also state community development and people’s well-being minister, said this after visiting Kota Kinabalu’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where a landslide destroyed a storage room and laboratory last night. – The Vibes, September 4, 2021