COVID-19: Number of positive cases increase with 21 new cases - Dr Noor Hisham

A total of 21 new COVID-19 cases was reported today involving 16 local infections and five imported ones.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this brings the cumulative number of positive COVID-19 cases to 8,861 with a 161 cases with infectivity.

"Of the 21 reported new cases, five were imported cases which had been infected overseas involving three Malaysians and two foreigners who married Malaysians or were allowed to enter the country for work purposes," said a media statement on COVID-19 today.

It said the five imported cases were reported to be from Singapore, Australia, the Philippines, Pakistan and Qatar.

Meanwhile, of the 16 local cases, 13 involved Malaysians and three foreigners.

One of the three local cases among foreigners was recorded from the Kluang Senior Citizen Cluster in Johor and two more from the Elsa Cluster in Pahang.

The local cases among Malaysians involved two cases from the PUI Ramnad Cluster in Kuala Lumpur and one each from the PUI Al Khobar Cluster in Selangor, the Senior Citizen Cluster in Kluang, Johor and Elsa Cluster in Pahang.

The local infections among Malaysians also included eight positive cases from the Sentosa Cluster in Sarawak.

Dr Noor Hisham said there were no cases of deaths due to COVID-19 reported today, and the cumulative number of these cases remains at 123.

He also said there were three recovered and discharged cases bringing the cumulative number of recovered cases to 8,577 or 96.8 per cent of the total number of cases.

"To date, only five positive COVID-19 cases are being treated in the intensive care units. Two cases require breathing apparatus," he said.

-- BERNAMA