COVID-19: Malaysia reports 563 new cases today, 52 per cent in Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 563 new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported within 24 hours with almost 52 per cent of them involving infections in Sabah while Penang (25 per cent).

Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said the increase in new infections brought the cumulative number of cases to 16,220 with 5,039 active cases.

Of the 562 cases of contagion in the country, 498 cases are Malaysian citizens and 64 cases are non-citizens.

"Of the 562 cases of transmission in the country, 10 cases are visitors returning from Sabah, thus making the total number 363 cases reported to have a history of travel to Sabah since September 20, 2020," he said in a press conference via Facebook Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH ) here, on Monday.

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said, two deaths due to COVID-19 were reported, bringing total to 159 deaths (one percent).

"To date, there are 98 positive cases of COVID-19 being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), of which 29 cases require respiratory assistance," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said 98 patients are being treated in the intensive care unit, with 29 needing ventilator support.

Of the 562 local transmission cases, 498 involved Malaysians while 68 were foreigners.

“Of the 562 cases, 10 were returnees from Sabah, bringing the number of cases with a travel history to the state since Sept 20 to 363,” he said.

There were also 109 recoveries, taking the cumulative total recoveries to 11,022 cases or 67.9 per cent of the total number of cases.

He said the two fatalities today involved two women in Sabah, one a Malaysian and the other a foreigner.

“The 158th death case involved an 85-year-old Malaysian woman, with a history of high blood pressure, heart disease and chronic lung disease, at the Tawau Hospital while the 159th death case involved a 48-year-old foreign woman at the Tuaran Hospital,” he said.

-- BERNAMA