KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Covid-19 patients occupying beds in the intensive care units (ICU) of government hospitals nationwide have dropped to around 90 per cent today, according to Health Minister Datuk Dr Adham Baba.

Dr Adham said for the Epidemiology week 22 (ME-22), there has been an overall 2.6 per cent reduction in Covid-19 cases to 52,040.

"In ME-22, on average, 8,725 public hospital beds have been occupied, which is four per cent less than last week. About 1,527 ICU beds are currently occupied at 90 per cent, a three per cent increase from the previous week,” he said in an online press conference today.

He added that an average of 1,291 ventilators were in use at public hospitals.

However, he acknowledged that there has been an increase in the average number of Covid-19 cases by 23.3 per cent. He said the number of deaths is also up at 42.1 per cent.

At private hospitals, Dr Adham said overall 659 beds are currently in use to treat Covid-19 patients, which is down six per cent from last week.

He added that the number of Covid-19 patients in private hospital ICUs have also declined 11 per cent from last week. Currently, an average of 75 private ICU beds are being used now.

Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the occupancy of ICU beds had risen from 96 per cent as of May 25 to 104 per cent as of June 6.

He said not all critical care patients can be admitted to ICU now that occupancy rate is so high. He added that it takes between 14 and 16 days to treat a level 4 or 5 Covid-19 patient and that also leads to a longer recovery time.

Dr Adham stressed that these numbers have dropped today.

According to the weekly data provided to the media, beds for Covid-19 patients in low risk quarantine and treatment centres total 31,703 — of which 17,388 are currently occupied at 56 per cent.

Hospital beds usage is 8.725 from 10,707 nationwide, which comes to 81 per cent.

The available ICU beds at government facilities total 1,705; and 90 per cent or 1,527 are occupied currently. As for ventilators there are 2,150 of which 1,291 or 60 per cent are being used.

As for the availability of beds in private hospitals, Dr Adham said there are 1,234 beds of which 659 or 53 per are being used. Private hospital ICU beds available total 124, and 61 per cent or 75 beds are currently occupied.