KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced that the number of Covid-19 cases in the country has once again surpassed the 6,000-mark, with 6,148 infections reported in the last 24-hour period.

The latest figure is an increase of 422, from yesterday’s 5,726 cases.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country to 2,448,372 since the pandemic began.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that only 1.6 per cent or 101 of the cases reported today were in categories 3, 4 and 5 that require hospitalisation, while the remaining 98.4 per cent are in categories 1 and 2.

“There are currently 563 patients being treated in intensive care units (ICU), of which 68 are suspected, probable or under investigation for Covid-19.

“Out of these 563, 292 need ventilators to help them breathe including 211 who are confirmed to be positive for Covid-19,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham added that nine new Covid-19 clusters have been identified in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of active clusters in the country to 494.

“Of the nine clusters, six are related to workplaces, one involving an educational institution, one involving a high risk group and one from community transmissions,” he said.

He disclosed that the country’s rate of infection rose slightly from 0.89 to 0.91, with Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan still having the highest infection rate by state, at 1.02.

Labuan continues to be the only state or federal territory in Malaysia to have a zero infectivity rate.