MALAYSIA logged 1,248 Covid-19 hospital admissions yesterday, a reduction of more than 100 cases reported a day before, the Health Ministry said.

According to the ministry’s CovidNow website, there was a dip in overall bed utilisation in hospitals – including non-Covid cases – but Covid-19 utilisation increased from 38.4% to 39.2% nationwide.

Hospitalisation rate is an indicator of the severity of the virus.

Klang Valley reported 365 admissions, the highest by territory, state or region. Admissions were up by 8% on a seven-day average, and its current utilisation capacity stands at 60%.

Selangor reported 295 admissions, Kuala Lumpur 46 and Putrajaya 24.

Other states that reported new hospital admissions were Johor with 193, Sarawak (131), Sabah (112), Kelantan (89), Negri Sembilan (73), Perak (61), Terengganu (58), Kedah (48), Pahang (45), Malacca (31), Penang (31) and Perlis (10) and Labuan (1).

Meanwhile, the new 6,517 coronavirus infections yesterday was the highest recorded for three weeks. The Klang Valley alone contributed 2,267 or 35% of the total cases.

By state or territory, Selangor reported 1,752 cases, followed by Sabah (611) and Kelantan (521).

Other states reporting new cases were Johor (517), Kuala Lumpur (441), Pahang (431), Sarawak (418), Kedah (352), Negri Sembilan (299), Penang (254), Perak (243), Terengganu (243), Putrajaya (74), Perlis (54) and Labuan (8).

Malacca, which will have its state elections on November 20, saw an increase in infections as new cases rose to 299 yesterday from 158 on Thursday.

The number of active cases rose to 64,277, with new infections outnumbered recoveries for four days.

Currently, 50,063 patients are in home quarantine, 7,966 are in low-risk quarantine centres and 5,705 are hospitalised.

There are 543 patients in intensive care units, with 268 requiring a ventilator. – November 13, 2021.