3 more deaths, 69 in ICU

PUTRAJAYA: Three new deaths related to Covid-19 were reported by the health ministry today, pushing the toll to 70.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said 222 patients had recovered from the virus, with 118 new cases reported.

This brings the total number of positive cases to 4,346. A total of 1,830 patients have been discharged, which is 42.11% of confirmed cases.

At a press conference today, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 69 patients are being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU), with 40 in need of respiratory assistance.

The deceased comprised three Malaysians – two men and a woman – between the ages of 62 and 88, who had histories of various chronic diseases.

One of the patients had been in close contact with a positive case from the Sri Petaling mosque cluster. All three died earlier this morning.

Noor Hisham also said active case detection efforts were conducted in buffer zones around Bandar Baharu Dato’ Ibrahim Majid in Simpang Renggam, one of the areas under an enhanced movement control order.

These involved an estimated 1,800 residents, 359 of whom had already been screened based on risk assessments.

There have been 13 positive and 88 negative cases from the area so far. The ministry is still waiting on the lab results of the other 258. - FMT