MALAYSIA reported fewer than 1,000 Covid-19 hospital admissions for the fifth consecutive day with 978 yesterday, the Health Ministry reported. 

The previous day, a total of 948 people were hospitalised with Covid-19.

According to its CovidNow website, overall hospital bed utilisation nationwide was at 66.1%, of which 31% were Covid-19 patients.

Hospital admission indicates the severity of the virus, while hospital utilisation includes bed usage, as well as the number of patients in intensive care units (ICU) and on ventilators.

The Klang Valley logged the highest daily admission at 304, with 253 in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur (34) and Putrajaya (17).

Other states that reported new admissions are Johor (217), Kedah (27), Kelantan (58), Malacca (18), Negri Sembilan (56), Pahang (27), Perak (57), Perlis (13), Penang (32), Sabah (84), Sarawak (34), Terengganu (50) and Labuan (1). 

As of midnight, there were 54,475 active Covid-19 cases in Malaysia. Of this number, there were 400 cases in ICUs, with 198 of them on ventilators.

Meanwhile, 46,457 patients were in home quarantine, 4,566 admitted to low-risk quarantine centres and 4,052 hospitalised.

As of noon yesterday, 4,362 new infections were reported.

Selangor logged the highest number of infections with 1,441. 

Other states and territories that recorded new cases were Johor (399), Kedah (240), Kelantan (395), Malacca (152), Negri Sembilan (185), Pahang (323), Perak (180), Perlis (21), Penang (272), Sabah (166), Sarawak (24), Terengganu (228), Kuala Lumpur (298), Labuan (10) and Putrajaya (28). – December 18, 2021.