KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced 1,229 Covid-19 cases nationwide and four new deaths today.

However, he also announced that 1,309 patients recovered from the virus.

Selangor charted 435 new cases in the last 24 hours, claiming 35.4 per cent of the total cases nationwide, putting it in top spot among states.

Of the new infections, 79.1 per cent or 344 cases were from clusters and Covid-19 close contact tracings.

Sabah came in second place with 333 cases and Kuala Lumpur took third with 131 cases.

He said that 115 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 65 patients are in need of ventilators.

“A total of 200 cases (16.3 per cent) reported are related to the clusters in the Temporary Detention Centres (PTS) and prisons involving the Tembok Cluster (103 cases), Cluster Rumah Merah (78 cases), Jalan Harapan Prison Cluster (12 cases), Bakti Cluster (3 cases), Kepayan Prison Cluster (1 case), PTS Sibuga Cluster (1 case), Matambai Cluster (1 case) and Seberang Perai Prison Cluster (1 case).

“We are sad to inform that there are four additional Covid-19 deaths today, putting the total number of cumulative Covid-19 death cases in Malaysia at 415 cases (0.50) per cent of the overall cases,” Dr Noor Hisham added.