Post-MCO day 8: Covid-19 new daily cases hit 5,000 ahead of forecast

PUTRAJAYA, 18 Oct 2021:

Daily additions to Covid-19 infections in Malaysia have fallen to the 5,000 mark almost a fortnight ahead of the forecast by the Health Ministry (MoH), with 5,434 persons testing positive over the past 24 hours to raise the nation’s tally to 2,396,121 cases.

Also read: Malaysia projects less than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases daily by end-October

No states recorded 4-figures in new infections, triple digits were reported in Selangor (800), Johor (698), Sarawak (694), Kelantan (643), Sabah (497), Perak (363), Kedah (324), Terengganu (311), Pahang (253), Penang (232), Kuala Lumpur (223), Melaka (211) and Negeri Sembilan (151). Fewest cases were charted in Labuan (2), Putrajaya (14) and Perlis (18).

There was a sole Malaysian among the five imported cases, local transmissions involved 5,050 citizens (93%) and 379 foreigners. Of this total, 151 persons (2.8%) had to be hospitalised.

The 8,435 discharges brought total recoveries to 2,278,955 (95.1%) as active cases further fell by 3,149 to 92,246 – with 70,849 (76.8%) in home quarantine, 13,799 (15%) at Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centres and 6,910 (7.5%) hospitalised.

The numbers remain stable at intensive care units with 622 confirmed Covid-19 patients (plus another 60 suspected) and among those needing breathing aids with 286 confirmed Covid-19 patients (plus another 71 suspected).

The grim statistic of lives lost to Covid-19 added another 63 confirmed fatalities to raise the death toll to 27,921 – inclusive of anothe 11 brought-in-dead cases to bring this sub-tally to 5,646. Confirmation of deaths due to Covid-19 is backlogged by around a month for extra tests amid MoH focus on healing the living.

A week after inter-state travel has been allowed, the number of new clusters is starting to rise with two education clusters in Kuala Lumpur (Jalan Pantai Permai Sembilan Bangsar) and Negeri Sembilan (Seri Serting Jempol) among the 15 identified today.

There was a religious cluster in Melaka (Kampung Bukit Tembakau Jasin), a high-risk group in Johor (Jalan Camar Tiga JB) and two community clusters in Perak (Bidor Stesen and Gunung Besout Dua – both in Batang Padang).

The remainder nine workplace clusters are in Johor (Jalan Bakau Kluang, Jalan Berjaya Lapan JB, Jalan Gambir Dua Tangkak and Jalan Industri Utama Grisek Tangkak), Kelantan (Kampung Kelubi Pasir Puteh), Kuala Lumpur (Jalan Tangsi Cheras), Sarawak (Putai 2 Bukit Mabong) and Selangor (Industri Dua Jalan Bukit Kemuning and Jalan Suasa Banting).

There are still 656 active clusters out of 5,687 identified todate.