KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — The Health Ministry recorded nine Covid-19-related deaths and 3,781 new cases in the country yesterday as campaigning for the 15th general election gains momentum.

Coronavirus infections have been on an upward trend since the election campaign officially kicked off on nomination day last Saturday.

Data on the ministry’s official website KKMNOW showed that 0.2 per cent of patients have been hospitalised in the intensive care unit with ventilator use at 37.3 per cent.

Currently, hospital beds nationwide are at 74.8 per cent filled with Covid-19 patients.

The majority of active Covid-19 cases at 95.1 per cent are in Categories 1 and 2, which require patients to self-quarantine at home.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham said that new cases have gone up 57.3 per cent in the 44th Epidemiological Week, with a total of 26,616 cases recorded from October 30 to November 5.

Following the increase in Covid-19 cases as well as hospital admissions and reports of Omicron XBB subvariant cases in several states, he advised the public to take preventive measures by wearing face masks and getting the Covid-19 vaccine or booster dose.