KUALA LUMPUR : There was a jump in the number of new COVID-19 infections in the country today, with 1,745 cases reported compared to 1,555 yesterday.

Seven more deaths were also reported, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham said, adding that of the new cases, 1,743 were local transmissions and two more were imported.

This brings Malaysia’s COVID-19 case tally to 305,880.

He said there were also 2,276 recovery cases reported overnight, taking the recovery tally to 280,707 cases.

“The death toll now stands at 1,148 cases while there are 195 cases in the intensive care unit, 95 of whom are intubated,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement today.

Selangor remains the state with the highest number of new cases, reporting 640 infections, followed by Johor (376) and Sarawak with 139 cases.

A total of 47 cases (2.7 per cent) reported were linked to prison clusters, namely Telok Mas (20 cases), Tembok Pengkalan Chepa (13), Damai Pelangi (13) and Penjara Jalan Sungai Jelok (one case), Dr Noor Hisham said.

The deaths, meanwhile, were reported in Kuala Lumpur (two cases) and one each in Selangor, Sarawak, Sabah, Johor and Kelantan, all aged between 50 and 71.

Also, 11 new clusters were identified today, nine of which were related to the workplace, one community-based cluster in Melaka and one high-risk cluster in Selangor.

The workplace clusters were in Selangor (Jalan Perubatan; Tapak Bina Jalan MP; Balakong Satu and Jalan Utarid); Johor (Jalan DPB Lima); Kelantan (Jalan Bachok); Kedah (Jalan PKNK 1/6); Pahang (Sri Jelutung); and Negeri Sembilan (Jalan Sikamat Lama).

Dr Noor Hisham said the country has so far recorded 1,163 clusters, 487 of them active, adding that 13 clusters ended today, taking the number of ended clusters to 676.

The clusters that ended today are Usaha, Jalan Timah Dua, Bukit Sekubong, Jalan Kinabenua, Tapak Bina Presint Tujuh, Jalan Sejahtera, Jalan Sulaman, Jalan Menerung, Tapak Bina Sri Petaling, Jalan Keluli,  Kebor Air, Jalan Rantau-Siliau and Seri Lanang.

-- BERNAMA