KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Another 277 people died from Covid-19 nationwide today, raising the cumulative fatality count to 11,968 since the pandemic began in Malaysia last year.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah also announced that 1,075 Covid-19 patients have been warded in intensive care units (ICU).

He said 537 of those in ICU need ventilators to breathe.

He added there were 96 brought-in-dead cases today. All but 55 of the deceased were Malaysians.

"There were a total of 277 death cases today involving 108 cases in Selangor, 66 cases in Kuala Lumpur, 26 cases in Johor, 16 cases in Negri Sembilan, 15 cases in Sabah, 14 cases in Kedah, 11 cases in Melaka, six cases in Penang, five cases in Kelantan, three cases each in Perak and Terengganu, as well as two cases in Pahang,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement.