KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has registered its deadliest day on record since the Covid-19 pandemic began with 18 fatalities logged today.
The number of new Covid-19 cases meanwhile continue to be in the four-figures with 3,631 infections recorded as of noon today, the Health Ministry announced.
An overwhelming percentage of the deaths (17) involved Malaysians with the remaining fatality being a foreigner.
"The fatalities involved nine patients from Selangor, three from Sabah and two from Kuala Lumpur, two from Sarawak.
"Johor and Penang recorded one Covid-19 fatality respectively. Our condolences to the families of the patients," he said in a statement.
Out of the 18 deaths involving patients aged between 32 and 93, only three had no underlying health conditions.
This brings the Covid-19 death toll in the country to 660.
To date, 251 people are being treated at intensive care units. Of the total, 102 require ventilator support.
On the new infections recorded today, 3,625 cases involved local transmissions with six new imported cases involving two Malaysians and four foreigners.
He said out of the 3,625 local transmissions, 2,982 of them were Malaysians, while 643 cases involved foreigners.
The current cumulative tally of positive cases stands at 176,180 with 42,814 active cases.
"Selangor recorded the highest number of cases at 782 or 21.5 per cent. Out of that total, 574 cases (73.4 per cent) were from clusters and close contacts screening actively done in the field.
"Selangor is followed by Johor at 466 cases and Sabah at 453. While 89 cases involved clusters in lockups, immigration detention depots, and prisons such as the Penjara Jalan Harapan (51), Tembok Mempaga (15), Tembok Nanas (12), Penjara Seberang Perai (five), Tembok Renggam (four), and Kluster Tembok Kemus (two) clusters," he said.