COVID: Malaysia records 3,229 cases Wednesday - Health Dg

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- A total of 3,229 new COVID-19 cases were reported today, bringing the cumulative figure for infections to 2,817,163, as of 12 noon today.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the total new cases, 38 cases (1.2 per cent) were in categories three (pneumonia), four (pneumonia and requiring oxygen) and five (critical and needing ventilators), while 3,191 cases (98.8 per cent) were in categories one and two (no symptoms and mild symptoms).

“Of the total, 239 are imported cases and 2,990 are local transmissions. Meanwhile, 162 cases require treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 76 cases require respiratory assistance,” he said in a statement today.

He also said that 2,848 recoveries were reported, bringing the cumulative number of recovered cases to 2,744,203.

Dr Noor Hisham said 20 new clusters had also been identified, bringing the total number of active clusters to 201.

He said the country’s COVID-19 infectivity rate (Rt) today was at 0.99 with Kuala Lumpur recording the highest Rt value of 1.08.

He also advised the public to continue to adhere to the health recommendations, including receiving COVID-19 vaccine injections to reduce the risk of serious infection and the number of deaths, as well as building herd immunity at the same time.

“By taking the vaccine and the booster dose, we can protect the people around us from the possibility of COVID-19 infection.

“Once the herd immunity is achieved, groups that are not yet eligible for immunisation can be protected,” he said.

-- BERNAMA