MALAYSIA reported more Covid-19 hospitalisations yesterday at 897, compared to 750 the day before, director-general of health Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

Although Selangor reported the bulk of yesterday’s 17,476 new infections, Pahang logged the most number of new hospital patients at 155, compared to 34 the previous day.

A hundred and twenty of Pahang’s new virus patients yesterday were in severe category 4, meaning they have pneumonia and require supplemental oxygen. Two were in category 5.

With only 70.1% of its population fully jabbed, Pahang is fourth from bottom on the list of vaccinated states and territories.  Only 36.3% of the double-dosed population are boosted in the state.

Pahang has 771 beds for coronavirus patients. 

Other states and territories reporting new admissions were Selangor (143), Perak (110), Johor (95), Penang (60), Kuala Lumpur (57), Sarawak (54), Kedah (46), Negri Sembilan (43), Kelantan (39), Terengganu (29), Sabah (27), Malacca (16), Putrajaya (15), Perlis (5) and Labuan (3).

Noor Hisham said among the 897 new hospital admissions, 468 (52.2%) were in the less severe asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic categories of 1 and 2, while 429 (47.8%) were in the more serious categories of 3, 4 and 5. 

Patients in category 2 accounted for the most admissions at 393, followed by category 4 (287), 3 (120), 1 (75), and 5 (22).

Categories 1 and 2 patients are admitted to hospital if they are deemed high-risk and in need of observation, said the health official.

Noor Hisham said 762 virus patients were discharged yesterday. 

Among the 17,476 new infections, Noor Hisham said 17,365 (99.37%) were in categories 1 and 2.

Noor Hisham said among the 111 severe cases, 22 were either not vaccinated or had not completed their doses. 

He said 45 of them had received two doses of vaccine but had not taken their booster shots, while the 44 have had their booster jabs.

He said 62 of the severe cases were above age 60 while 59 of them had comorbidities. One was a pregnant woman. 

On intensive care unit (ICU) utilisation for Covid-19, only Kuala Lumpur had breached the 50% mark with 67% of the beds occupied. 

On the bed take-up rate for Covid-19 cases, Noor Hisham said 34% of of the 12,145 beds available for non-critical case were occupied. 

Of the 880 beds in ICU, 263 (30%) were occupied while 616 (6%) of the 9,676 beds in low-risk quarantine centres were in use. – April 2, 2022.