COVID-19: 1,213 new cases, three deaths reported March 18 - Health DG

He said that over the 24-hour period as at noon today, three fatalities and 1,503 recoveries were reported, raising the cumulative figure for recovered cases to 312,461.

The total number of positive cases now stands at 328,466 while the death toll is 1,223.

"Of the new cases reported today, 1,207 are local transmissions involving 866 Malaysians and 341 foreigners while six are imported cases," he said in a posting on his official Twitter account.

Dr Noor Hisham said the number of active cases is 14,782.

Dr Noor Hisham said Selangor continued to top the new cases with 353, followed by Sarawak (303) and Johor (142).

He said 155 cases were still under intensive care, with 54 requiring ventilator support.

Dr Noor Hisham said all the three deaths today involved locals - two men aged 82 and 60 who had chronic diseases and a 59-year-old woman who did not have any other diseases.

Nine new clusters were also detected today, with five involving workplaces, three in the community and one at a detention centre, bringing the total number of clusters to 1,276, including 428 active ones.

"The new workplace clusters were identified at Persiaran Setia and Persiaran Sunsuria building sites in Selangor, Jalan Wawasan Sembilan (Johor), Melamam (Sabah) and Jalan Asuhan (Perak).

"The new community clusters are at Sungai Atap (Sarawak), Kampung Padang Tembak (Sabah) and Bunga Tanjung Bendahara (Kedah) while the detention centre cluster is at Semuja Immigration Depot (Sarawak)," he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said 848 clusters had ended, including 10 today.

The 10 clusters which ended today were Kampung Jawek, Jalan Usaha Satu, Jalan Seelong, Jalan Gemilang Lima, Kampung Tandak, Gong Nering, Taman Mahkota Impian, Matambai, Kejuruteraan Subang Baru and Jalan Valdor Building Site.