COVID: 1,854 NEW CASES, FIVE DEATHS - HEALTH DG

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 -- The number of new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia continues to rise, with 1,854 cases reported in the last 24 hours compared to yesterday’s 1,285, while five more fatalities were also reocorded.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the latest development brought the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in the country to 357,607, with 14,805 still active.

He said 20 of the cases today were imported, with the rest being local transmissions.

"The import cases involve five citizens and 15 non-citizens, while the local cases involve 1,618 citizens and 216 non-citizens.

"A total of 1,247 recoveries were also reported today, bringing the total number of patients cured so far to 341,489," he said in a statement today

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said 169 cases were being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 79 of them requiring respiratory aid.

The five fatalities today involved three citizens and two non-citizens, he said, adding that this took the cumulative number of deaths due to the disease to 1,313.

According to him, Sarawak reported the highest number of new daily cases with 555, followed by Selangor (403) and Penang (176).

Meanwhile, he said seven new clusters were detected today, with four involving the workplace.

The new workplace clusters recorded were Sungai Kluang Satu (Penang); Jalan Ismail Sultan (Johor); Batu Lima Jalan Sibuga (Sabah); Taman Bukit Pantai (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor); while the three community clusters were Sungai Gemuan and Disso (Sarawak) and Sim-Sim (Sabah)

"The latest development brings the total number of clusters to 1,442, with 342 still active," he said, adding that 13 clusters were declared ended today.

-- BERNAMA