DAILY Covid-19 hospital admissions rose to 944 yesterday, up from 920 on Thursday, the Health Ministry reported.

However, the hospital utilisation for Covid-19 cases yesterday dropped from 29.1% to 28.0%, according to the CovidNow website.

The overall hospital utilisation rate in the country also dropped from 67.4% to 66.7% yesterday.

The number of hospital admissions indicates the severity of the virus. The hospital utilisation includes bed occupancy as well as the number of patients in intensive care units and on ventilators.

Active Covid-19 cases nationwide fell from 39,779 to 39,697. Of this figure, 32,528 (81.9%) people were in home quarantine, 3,546 (8.9%) were in national quarantine centres and another 3,369 (8.5%) were receiving treatment in hospitals.

Based on the data, about 125 Covid-19 patients were discharged from the hospital yesterday.

Meanwhile, there were 254 Covid-19 patients in intensive care units, 114 of which were on a ventilator.

Overall, 36.7% of ventilators were in use, with intensive care unit wards 57.6% occupied, of which 27.0% were Covid-19 patients.

There were 295 admissions in the Klang Valley, the most by state, territory or region. Most of the cases were registered in Selangor (255), while Kuala Lumpur saw 29 admissions and Putrajaya 11.

Bed utilisation in the Klang Valley, including for non-Covid cases, rose to 59.2% from 58.9%.

There were also new admissions in Johor (195), Sabah (107), Kelantan (60), Negri Sembilan (57), Pahang (49), Sarawak (46), Perak (43), Terengganu (24), Malacca (22), Kedah (20), Penang (18), Perlis (6) and Labuan (2).

Malacca’s hospital utilisation rate remained the highest by any state or territory and saw an increase from 82.6% to 83.8% yesterday. – January 8, 2022.