KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — The number of new Covid-19 cases in the country appears to be on a downward trend as 2,461 cases were reported today.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this brings the total cumulative cases in Malaysia to 280,272, with 34,468 cases still active.

“Of today’s figures, 1,589 cases or 64.6 per cent are Malaysians, while 872 cases or 35.4 per cent are foreigners,” he said in a statement.

Selangor remains the state with the highest number of cases at 1,001, or 40.7 per cent overall. Of this number, 757 cases are from clusters and close-contact tracing on the field.

The second-highest number of cases are in Kelantan with 257, or 10.4 per cent, followed by Johor with 233 cases, or 9.5 per cent.

“The 2,461 cases today include 298 or 12.1 per cent which are connected to prisons and Immigration detention depots, involving the Tembok Bukit Besi cluster with 146 cases, the Tembok Pengakalan Chepa cluster with 50 cases, the Tembok Bendera cluster with 39 cases and the Tembok Tapah cluster with 33 cases.

“Also included are the Damai Pelangi cluster with 13 cases, the DTI Sepang cluster with eight cases, the Tembok Sungai Udang cluster with six cases and the Tembok Mempaga cluster with three cases,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

The ministry also recorded 4,782 recoveries from Covid-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 244,753 cases, or 87.3 per cent of all cases reported.

Currently, 207 cases are being treated in Intensive Care Units, with 91 requiring breathing assistance.

Eight deaths were recorded today, bringing the total number of fatalities from Covid-19 to 1,051 cases or 0.37 per cent of the total number of cases.

“Four of these deaths occurred in Sarawak, and one death each in Selangor, Sabah, Perak, and Kelantan. The deceased were aged between 49 and 81, and all are Malaysians.

“All of them suffered from pre-existing illnesses and ailments, including high-blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, dyslipidaemia, critical limb ischemia and laryngeal cancer,” he said.