Malaysia’s new Covid-19 cases continue climb to another record high at 691 cases, four deaths

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Malaysia announced yet another record daily high of 691 new Covid-19 cases today with only three of them imported, the Ministry of Health announced today.

More than half of the new cases, 394, were attributed to the Tembok Cluster involving a prison in Kedah, while 219 came from red zones in Sabah.

States recording new cases are Kedah (397), Sabah (219), Selangor (38), Perak (eight), Negri Sembilan (seven), Kuala Lumpur (four), Johor (six), Sarawak and Penang have three cases each, with one case each for Putrajaya, Terengganu and Labuan.

Of the 2,936 active cases now, 31 are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with eight of them needing to be intubated.

In addition, there were four new deaths announced — three in Sabah and the other in Penang.

Breakdown of the 691 cases today: 

Kedah registered 394 new cases from the Tembok Cluster which involves 391 locals and three foreigners, while three other cases were registered from the Bah Sintok Cluster. 

In Sabah, 120 cases were discovered through display of Covid-19 symptoms involving 117 locals and three foreigners, 36 local cases from community screenings, 19 local cases from the new Ramai-Ramai Cluster, five local cases from close contact with a Covid-19 patient, five local cases involving health officials and four local cases from screenings done at workplaces. 

Selangor recorded 17 local cases from returnees from Sabah, 11 local cases from Jalan Meru Cluster, nine local cases from close contact with a Covid-19 patient and one local case from the Embun Cluster. 

Perak registered seven new local cases from the new Batu Cluster and one local case from a returnee from Sabah. 

In Negri Sembilan, seven new local cases were recorded from returnees from Sabah, while in Johor, three local cases were detected from the returnees from Sabah while three other local cases were discovered from the Jalan Meru Cluster. 

Sarawak recorded one new local case from a returnee from Sabah, one local case from screenings done from a returnee from Peninsular Malaysia and one local case from close contact with a Covid-19 patient. 

In Penang, one local case was discovered from a returnee from Sabah, one local case from Severe Acute Respiratory Illness and one local case discovered after passing away from the virus. 

Terengganu and Labuan both recorded one local case, both cases were discovered from returnees from Sabah, whilst in Putrajaya, one local case was discovered from the Selasih Cluster. 

Dr Noor Hisham also took the time to say that as of today, 6,759 beds have been prepared for Covid-19 patients. Of the 6,759, 2,820 beds are from hospitals and 3,975 beds are for the low risk quarantine zone. 

He added that 437 ICU rooms have also been set aside for Covid-19 patients and as many as 1,505 breathing apparatus have also been prepared by the Ministry of Health. 

For Sabah specifically, six hospitals have been identified as Covid-19 specialists, namely Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Womens and Childrens Hospital, Tawau Hospital, Lahad Datu Hospital, Duchess of Kent Hospital and Keningau Hospital.