Covid-19 (Aug 17): 19.6k cases, respite in Klang Valley, 293 deaths

Covid-19 | The Health Ministry reported 19,631 new cases of Covid-19 as of noon today.

Based on a seven-day average of new daily cases, the case count is on a eight-day continous downtrend in the Klang Valley.

Active cases are on a 53 day uptrend breaching the quarter-million mark today while Covid-19 deaths have breached the 13,000 mark.

The number of patients requiring intensive care and those who are intubated are generally holding steady over the past month.

As of noon today, 149,750 samples were collected. The unofficial positivity rate is 13.11 percent. This figure has been in double digits for 28 days straight.

• Active cases: 252,147
• Patients in ICU: 1,054
• Intubated: 525

States

Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Negeri Sembilan all recorded a R-naught of less than 1.00 as of last night. A R-naught of less than 1.00 suggests that the spread of Covid-19 in these areas were decelerating. These three regions have relatively high rates of vaccination.

The R-naught is highest in Perlis (1.25), Sarawak (1.23) and Kelantan (1.19).

The uptrend in the spread of Covid-19 in Sarawak is noteworthy as official government data suggests that 79 percent of the population are fully vaccinated.

However, Health Ministry data, as of Aug 14, suggests that non-critical Covid-19 bed usage in Sarawak is only 39.04 percent while it is mostly near capacity in other regions. ICU bed-use is (55 percent) also relatively lower than other regions.

Six other states, meanwhile, are reporting four digit cases.

Deaths

There were 293 new Covid-19 deaths reported today that were attributed to Covid-19. The national death toll has reached 13,077.

There were 44 victims who were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. 

Selangor (90) reported the highest number of deaths followed by Kuala Lumpur (47), Johor (42), Pahang (21), Malacca (19), Perak (19), Sabah (15), Negeri Sembilan (9), Kedah (9), Penang (8), Kelantan (7), Terengganu (5) and Sarawak (2).

Clusters

The Health Ministry is currently monitoring 1,360 active Covid-19 clusters. 

Another 39 new clusters were classified today, of which 23 involved workplaces. 

[More to follow]