COVID: 2,757 new cases, 4,620 recoveries - Health DG

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the new cases today, only 40 were in categories three, four and five while the rest were in categories one and two.

"There were 2,594 local transmissions and 163 imported cases, besides 297 cases in the intensive care unit, while 169 cases require respiratory support," he said in a statement today.

There were also 4,620 recovery cases reported today, he said, adding that this brings the total number of recoveries to 2,669,654.

Dr Noor Hisham said seven new COVID-19 clusters were identified overnight, taking the number of active clusters to 223, while adding that the country's Rt (infectivity rate) as of yesterday was 0.90.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said 429 COVID-19 cases were detected among flood victims involving 11 cases at temporary evacuation centers (PPS) as of 3 pm today.

He said the first cluster involving transmissions among flood victims, at a PPS in Bentong, was reported today.

"The index case for the Karak Setia cluster is a Malaysian woman who tested positive on Dec 19 through the screening of individuals with symptoms. The case started with symptoms of fever, cough, flu, and the loss of sense of smell since Dec 18," he said.

Up to noon today, he said 104 individuals from this cluster have been screened with 10 having tested positive for COVID-19, with interaction between those housed at the evacuation centre suspected as being the cause of transmission. All positive cases have been as well as close contacts have been isolated from the rest of the evacuees.

Dr Noor Hisham said 99 infectious disease cases were also detected among flood victims, involving 51 cases of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), 39 cases of skin disease and nine cases of Acute Gastroenteritis.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said Malaysia recorded a 18.6 per cent drop in COVID-19 infections in the 51st epidemiological week (ME) from Dec 19 to Dec 25, from 27,698 cases (50th ME) to 22,554 cases (51st ME), with the average for active cases also dropping 13 per cent to 48,218 cases in the 51st ME.

However, he said fatality cases increased by 15.2 per cent with 242 deaths reported in the 51st ME compared to 211 in the 50th ME, reversing the downward trend recorded for fatalities for seven straight weeks between the 43rd ME and 50th ME.

"The average number of cases requiring treatment in the ICU showed a decrease of 12 percent from 316 cases (50th ME) to 277 cases (51st ME).

"The average number of cases that require respiratory assistance also showed a decrease of 10.6 percent from 140 cases (50th ME) to 125 cases (51st ME)," he said.

He said as of Dec 25, there were a cumulative of 6,101 clusters reported with 223 active clusters, a decrease of 11.5 percent compared to the 50th ME.