KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Malaysia’s new Covid-19 cases continue to increase for the second day straight with 32,800 reported in the last 24 hours.

The latest numbers show a rise of 2,013 cases compared to the number of new infections recorded yesterday.

With this latest figure, the total number of cases recorded since the start of the pandemic in the country is now 3,774,786.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement this morning that out of the 32,800 cases today, 541 were imported and involved 503 Malaysians and 38 foreigners.

The remaining 32,259 local cases involved 31,232 Malaysians and 1,027 foreigners.

Dr Noor Hisham also said that 380 patients are currently being treated in intensive care units (ICU) nationwide, with 165 confirmed to have Covid-19 while the remaining 215 either suspected, probable or under investigation for the disease.

Of that, he said that 231 need ventilator assistance, of which 102 are Covid-19 positive patients.

He also added that 76 people died from the deadly disease yesterday. Of this number, 21 died before reaching hospitals for treatment.

The country's current death toll since the start of the pandemic stands at 33,643.

Dr Noor Hisham also said that 24,444 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hour, bringing the total cumulative amount of recovery in the country to 3,418,443.

He said that of the 32,800 cases today, only 183 are in Categories 3, 4 and 5 — which require hospitalisation. The remaining people fall under Categories 1 and 2, which means they either show no symptoms or mild ones.

Dr Noor Hisham said Covid-19 cases at ICUs in seven states have reached or exceeded 50 per cent capacity.

In the lead is Kelantan at 75 per cent followed by Johor at 68 per cent, and Putrajaya at 67 per cent.

The ICU capacity in Kuala Lumpur is currently at 58 per cent, Selangor at 57 per cent, Penang at 51 per cent and Melaka at 50 per cent.

There are 12 states where more than half of the Covid-19 patients are occupying non-ICU beds. Two places were the Covid-19 patients have exceeded full capacity for this are: Putrajaya (112 per cent), and Selangor (111 per cent).

Kuala Lumpur is close to reaching maximum capacity at 98 per cent, followed by tiny Perlis at 93 per cent.

The other seven states are as follows: Perak (89 per cent), Terengganu (88 per cent), Melaka (80 per cent), Sarawak (77 per cent), Kelantan (73 per cent), Johor (63 per cent), Penang (58 per cent), and Pahang (58 per cent).

Dr Noor Hisham also said four new clusters were reported yesterday, bringing the total active clusters to 405.

Malaysia’s Covid-19 infectivity rate (R-nought or R0) is now at 1.03.

Johor's Covid-19 situation today

With Johor holding its state election today, there is still cause for concern.

Data shared by Dr Noor Hisham recorded a total of 2,553 local cases and 13 imported.

The number of deaths recorded in Johor today stand at eight, one of whom was dead on arrival at hospital.

Currently, Johor hospitals have 1,011 Covid-19 patients warded, another 183 are being quarantined in the low-risk treatment centres, while 18,585 are under home quarantine.