COVID: 224 categories three to five new cases - Health DG

He said the remaining 30,563 cases comprised categories one and two, thus bringing the cumulative total COVID-19 cases in the country to 3,741,986.

"Meanwhile, 26,457 recovery cases were logged yesterday taking the cumulative recoveries to 3,393,999 cases," he said in a statement on the current COVID-19 infection situation in the county today.

Dr Noor Hisham said from the 224 COVID-19 cases in categories three to five, 58 cases involved individuals who have not been vaccinated while 94 received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine but have not received their booster dose.

"There were 72 cases of those who have received their booster shots while 122 cases were aged 60 and above as well as 96 with comorbidity," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham also said 2,048 COVID-19 cases were admitted to hospitals yesterday involving 771 in categories three to five and 1,277 cases in categories one and two.

He said 389 cases needed treatment in intensive care units (ICU) and 229 patients required respiratory assistance, taking the rate of ventilator usage to 26 per cent now.

On ICU bed occupancy, Dr Noor Hisham said six states with 50 per cent and above utilisation are Kelantan (79 per cent), Johor (68 per cent), Putrajaya (67 per cent); Kuala Lumpur (62 per cent) while Penang and Selangor, 57 per cent.

He said the COVID-19 infectivity rate (Rt) in the country now is 1.04 and the state with the highest Rt is Sarawak with 1.37. Other states with Rt above 1.0 are Kuala Lumpur (1.16), Terengganu (1.15), Perak (1.10); Negeri Sembilan (1.07); Kedah (1.05); Selangor (1.04); Pahang and Penang with 1.03 while Melaka and Putrajaya are at 1.02.