COVID-19: 1,290 new infections, 110 in ICU, four deaths

KUALA LUMPUR: New COVID-19 cases in Malaysia again recorded four figures with 1,290 new cases reported, bringing the total number of positive cases to 51,680.

Of that, the two states that recorded the highest daily cases were Sabah with 660 followed by Selangor (407 cases).

Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said within 24 hours as well, the country recorded 878 recovery cases, making the cumulative number of cases recovered to 38,132.

Dr Noor Hisham also informed that there were four new deaths recorded, bringing the total number of deaths to 326.

Meanwhile, 110 patients were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where 37 cases require respiratory assistance.

"As of November 19, 2020, a total of 319 clusters have been reported. Today, there are four new clusters reported, bringing the total number of active clusters monitored to 165.

"Of that number, a total of 54 clusters reported an increase in cases," he added.

The clusters that reported the highest increase in new cases were the Lotus Cluster (245 cases), the Sandakan Prison Cluster (215 cases) and the BJ Cotton Cluster (55 cases).

"We would like to inform that a total of six (6) clusters have expired, namely Umboo Cluster, Bah Mutiara Cluster, Khazanah Cluster, Jalan Pantai Cluster, Bah Bangat Cluster and Bah Kasturi Cluster.

"This brings the total number of clusters to 154," he said in a statement on Thursday.

The four new clusters identified on Thursday were the BJ Cotton Cluster in the Hulu Langat district in the state of Selangor and the Prestige Cluster involving workers in a cleaning company in the Lembah Pantai and Titiwangsa districts in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

The other two clusters were the Bah Bercham Cluster involving the Kinta district in the state of Perak and the Kiambang Cluster involving the Mersing, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru, Johor districts.

Dr Noor Hisham also informed that the MySejahtera application has helped the Ministry of Health in detecting positive COVID-19 cases through two methods, namely self-assessment and close contact tracking through data review.