KUALA LUMPUR – Daily Covid-19 infections in the country fell to 2,690 cases, taking the cumulative total as of noon today to 2,767,044.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that of the new cases, 52 were in categories three, four, and five while the rest were in categories one and two.
“A total of 265 cases required treatment in intensive care units while 147 cases needed respiratory assistance,” he said in a statement today.
A total of 3,535 recoveries were also recorded, taking the cumulative total number of recovered cases to 2,695,751.
According to Dr Noor Hisham, three new clusters were reported today, bringing the total number of active clusters to 206.
He said detailed information on the Covid-19 situation in the country will be uploaded on the CovidNow website and the data would be updated at midnight every day.
Meanwhile, he said Malaysia recorded a 2.3% increase in Covid-19 infections in the 52nd epidemiological week from December 26 to January 1, from 22,554 cases (51st week) to 23,071 cases, after a decline in cases was recorded for five straight weeks since the 46th week.
However, he said the average number of active cases recorded a 15% drop, with an average of 40,963 cases in the 52nd week, apart from an 18.2% drop in fatalities and an 18% decline in cases requiring treatment in ICUs.
Dr Noor Hisham also said that the Health Ministry had stressed to umrah pilgrims allowed to undergo home quarantine to not receive visits from family members, friends, and neighbours.
“This is to prevent their visitors and, subsequently, the community from being infected,” he said.
On January 1, the government decided to temporarily suspend travel permissions to perform umrah starting January 8 so as to curb the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.
It was also decided that pilgrims returning home from today will undergo mandatory quarantine at quarantine stations or hotels specified by the National Disaster Management Agency.
On Covid-19 infections among flood victims, Dr Noor Hisham said one new case was reported, taking the total number of cases involving flood victims to 461 as of 3pm today.
He said the 39 cases of infectious diseases detected among flood victims today involved 33 cases of acute respiratory tract infections, four of skin diseases, and two of acute gastroenteritis.
He also said that 194 temporary evacuation centres are still operating, involving 70 in Johor, Pahang (54), Melaka (23), Sabah (23), Negri Sembilan (22) and Selangor (two), with the total number of flood victims now at 13,577. – Bernama, January 3, 2022
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