A total of 95 new COVID-19 positive cases were recorded today, taking the cumulative number of cases in Malaysia to 10,147, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

However, after 17 straight days of no fatality, one death was recorded today to take the death toll to 129.

He said that of the 95 new cases, 91 were locally transmitted and four imported, while the overall tally of infectivity cases was 754.

He said of the local transmission cases, 68 involved Malaysians and 23 foreigners.

"Ninety of the cases were from Sabah, of which 76 (20 foreigners) were detected from the screening of the Benteng LD Cluster; four (one foreigner) from the Pulau Cluster; three from the Selamat Cluster; and three (one foreigner) Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) patients at the Lahad Datu Hospital,” he said in a statement.

Dr Noor Hisham said two more cases from symptomatic screening at the Tawau Hospital; one case from the screening of a dead foreigner at the Semporna Hospital (129th death case); and one screening of a close contact of the deceased (129th death case).

The other local transmission was from the screening of the Bunga Cluster in Negeri Sembilan.

He said the 129th death (case 10,145) involved a 50-year-old Filipina who sought treatment at a medical centre in Sabah for cough and breathing difficulties on Sept 14.

“She was later referred to the Semporna Hospital for further treatment, but did not go.

“She was found unconscious and taken to the Semporna Hospital, where she was confirmed dead on the same day (Sept 14). Health screening showed that she tested positive for COVID-19,” he said.

Meanwhile, there were 14 recoveries today, raising the cumulative number of recoveries to 9,264, or 91.3% of the total number of cases.

To date, 11 cases are under treatment in the intensive care unit, with two of them requiring respiratory assistance.

On the issue of quarantine wristbands, Dr Noor Hisham said the Ministry of Health not only used pink wristbands but also white, red and yellow.

He explained that the quarantine wristbands are worn by individuals under supervision, such as close contacts of positive cases, travellers returning from overseas or individuals staying in administrative Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) areas.

He said the use of coloured quarantine wristbands was subject to stock in the local area and determined by the District Health Office.

"The place and date of the screening are written on the wristband. The quarantine wristband can only be removed by the District Health Office involved after the quarantine period ends.

"If there are still individuals with these quarantine wristbands out in public places, report them to the police so as to protect the people from the risk of COVID-19 infection,” he said.

-- BERNAMA