KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 ― Malaysia logged another 24,241 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours — a slight reduction of 2,763 cases from yesterday’s cases.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic to 3,951,678.

Another 59 deaths were also recorded, including 13 that died before they could reach medical assistance.

The death toll for Covid-19 in the country now stands at 34,244.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement this morning said that of today’s new cases, only 0.76 per cent or 195 cases are in categories 3, 4 and 5 ― which require hospitalisation, while the remainder 99.24 per cent are in categories 1 and 2.

Dr Noor Hisham said that there are 383 patients currently being treated in intensive care units (ICU) nationwide, with 164 of them confirmed positive for Covid-19, while the remaining are either suspected, probable, or under investigation for Covid-19.

Of that number, 222 patients require ventilators to help them breathe, which includes 103 confirmed positive cases.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said 26,615 patients — have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 3,623,068 or 91.7 per cent.

As of today, the national rate of infection currently stands at 0.92, lower than yesterday’s 0.95.

On ICU bed usages by state, eight states or federal territories are using more than 50 per cent of the capacity, which are Kuala Lumpur (73 per cent) Putrajaya (67 per cent),Perlis (64 per cent), Kelantan (63 per cent), Selangor (57 per cent), Penang (55 per cent)  Sarawak (55 per cent) and Johor (53 per cent).

As for non-ICU beds, 12 states have recorded more than 50 per cent usage.

They are Selangor (96 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (89 per cent), Putrajaya (88 per cent), Terengganu (76 per cent), Perak (75 per cent),  Perlis (72 per cent), Melaka (69 per cent),  Sarawak (65 per cent), Negri Sembilan (57 per cent), Johor (55 per cent) and Pahang (51 per cent).

As for Covid-19 quarantine centres, all states are currently using less than 50 per cent of the beds available.