Health DG: New cases increase to 7,234

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded an increase in new Covid-19 cases, to 7,234 yesterday, after reporting cases above the 5,000 mark for three consecutive days.

Health director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said the development brought the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases to 2,895,014 as at 12 noon yesterday, while the number of patients recovering from the infection has increased to 2,799,608, with an increase of 5,254.

“Of the total new cases reported today, 73 involved categories three, four, and five, while the rest are categories one and two. 118 cases currently require treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 57 of them needing respiratory assistance,” he said in a daily statement on the current Covid19 situation.

He also said that a total of 21 new clusters were recorded, with 346 clusters still active thus far.

On the infectivity rate (Rt), Dr Noor Hisham said the country’s Rt was at 1.11 on Thursday with Perlis recording the highest Rt of 1.25, followed by Johor (1.20) and Penang (1.17).

Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, Dr Noor Hisham said that the country’s high vaccination and booster rates have resulted in fewer patients in categories three, four and five, and it shows that the vaccine works.

“Although a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases is expected in the next days and weeks due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, it causes a less severe form of the disease in those who had full vaccination and have taken their booster shot,” he said. — Bernama