Covid-19 ICU patients at record high, 660 new cases, 4 deaths

COVID-19 | The number of Covid-19 patients requiring intensive care has reached 108, matching a record set on April 3. 

As of noon today, 660 new Covid-19 cases were reported which is the same number of new infections recorded yesterday.

The country's total active cases has reached a new high of 5,772. Today marked the ninth straight day where record active cases have been reported.

There are seven more Covid-19 patients requiring intensive care compared to yesterday and 35 on ventilator support.

Sabah continues to contribute to the most number of new cases (429), followed by Kedah (113) and Selangor (68).

Four new deaths were recorded - all in Sabah. Details of the deceased, all with a history of illnesses, are as follows:

• Malaysian male, 80, passed away at Lahad Datu Hospital
• Malaysian female, 63, passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu
• Malaysian female, 73, passed away at Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan 
• Foreign female, 47, passed away at Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan.

The total number of deaths officially attributed to Covid-19 currently stands at 167.

Of the 660 new cases, six did not involve local transmissions. Of the 654 local infections, 608 cases involved Malaysians and 46 involved foreigners.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, who provided the press briefing while under home quarantine, said one new cluster was detected today.

The breakdown of the new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases are as follows:

Sabah (429 cases)

• Close contact screening - 197 
• Other types of screening - 154 
• Existing clusters - 78 

Kedah (113 cases)

• Existing clusters - 112 
• Other types of screening - one

Selangor (68 cases)

• Close contact screening - 18 
• Symptomatic screening - one
• Existing clusters - 38 
• Kencana cluster - four
• Other types of screening - seven

Penang (17 cases)

• Existing clusters - 17 

Labuan (seven cases)

• Returnee from Sabah - two
• Close contact screening - 5 cases

Kuala Lumpur (seven cases)

• Returnee from Sabah - one
• Existing clusters - three
• Close contact screening - one
• Kencana cluster - two

Johor (three cases)

• Returnee from Sabah - two
• Close contact screening - one

Sarawak (three cases)

• Returnee from Sabah - three

Perak (three cases)

• Symptomatic screening - two
• Simera cluster (existing) - one

Malacca (two cases)

• Symptomatic screening - one
• Utama cluster (existing) - one

Negeri Sembilan (one case)

• Close contact screening - one

The new Kencana cluster involved 17 cases so far, spread across eight districts.

The index case reported symptoms on Oct 7 and was warded at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. There were no further details on this case.

In all, there are 27 active Covid-19 clusters across the country.

Currently, 52 districts are classified as "yellow zones" (between one and 40 Covid-19 cases) and 19 districts are classified as "red zones" (more than 40 cases).

Noor Hisham said that it was imperative for all Malaysians to help the authorities in stopping the spread of Covid-19 and preventing the outbreak from getting worse.

"Society, the community and individuals must work together in this effort by following all guidelines which have been set," he added.