KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — Daily Covid-19 numbers in the country stayed above the 4,000-mark today, with 4,362 new cases.

This is an increase of 100 cases from yesterday's 4,262.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today's numbers bring the cumulative number of cases in Malaysia to 2,711,764.

"Of today’s 4,362 new cases, only 89 cases or 2 per cent are in category 3, 4 and 5 — which require hospitalisation.

"The remaining 4,273 or 98 per cent are in category 1 and 2, which only require quarantine,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said that 28 of the total cases today were imported into the country, involving 13 locals and 15 foreigners.

He added that there are currently 400 patients being treated in intensive care units (ICU) nationwide, with 315 of them confirmed positive with Covid-19.

The remaining 85 patients are suspected, probable or under investigation of Covid-19.

"Of that number, 198 patients require help from a ventilator to help them breathe, with 143 of them confirmed positive for Covid-19 and 55 more suspected, probable or under investigation for Covid-19,” said the director-general.

He said that 12 new Covid-19 clusters have been identified in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of clusters ever detected in the country to 6,074.

This also brings the number of active Covid-19 clusters to 257.

On a brighter note, Dr Noor Hisham shared that 5,098 people have recovered from the deadly disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,625,245 or 96.8 per cent of the total cases.

As for the country’s rate of infection, it currently stands at 0.90 with Negri Sembilan being the state with the highest infectivity rate, at 1.02.

This is followed by Pahang and Penang, both at 1.0 each, Terengganu at 0.99 and Perak and Labuan, at 0.98.

Sarawak currently holds the spot for lowest rate of infection days before the state heads into polling day for its state elections, at 0.75.