KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 ― The Health Ministry today reported a record high of 12 deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, as Malaysia recorded 1,054 new cases.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a press conference today said the 12 deaths bring the total death toll in the country to 263.

The previous record was 10 deaths reported on October 23.

Dr Noor Hisham also said today there were 875 recoveries, bringing the total number of those discharged to 23,995.

“The 1,054 new cases bring the total number of infections in the country to 34,393,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

All 12 deaths were reported in Sabah, taking the state’s death toll to 131 or 49.8 per cent of all fatalities in the country related to Covid-19. 

Dr Noor Hisham said the 12 deceased ranged from a 14-year-old to an 82-year-old. 

Four of the victims were foreigners, while eight of them had a history of chronic health conditions. 

Dr Noor Hisham said of the 1,054 new cases, 14 cases were imported. Of the remaining local transmitted cases, seven cases involved recent travel to Sabah. 

Sabah again accounted for the most cases with 678 infections, followed by 150 cases from the Klang Valley and Labuan with 81 new cases.

This was followed by Negri Sembilan with 71 cases while Penang recorded 35 new Covid-19 cases. 

Putrajaya, Perak, Johor, Melaka and Terengganu each recorded three cases or fewer.

Of the active cases, Dr Noor Hisham said 94 cases are being treated in ICU, with 32 of them on ventilators.