PETALING JAYA: The number of Covid-19 cases and deaths recorded in a day have reached a new high since the beginning of the pandemic, with 24,599 cases and 393 fatalities on Thursday (Aug 26).

       Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said from the 393 deaths recorded, 125 cases were in Selangor; Kuala Lumpur (61); Johor (48); Melaka (33); Penang (31); Sabah (26); Negri Sembilan (20); Kedah (15); Perak (15); Kelantan (nine); Pahang (eight) and Terengganu (two).

       There were also 100 brought-in-dead cases, 50 of them Malaysians.

       Dr Noor Hisham said even though the country recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic started, most cases were in categories one and two, which amounts to 23,939 cases (97.3%) of all cases.

       He added that 660 cases were in categories three, four and five.

       "This is in line with the vaccination programme that is being carried out throughout the country. As of Aug 25, 40.8% of the total population in Malaysia (which amounts to 56.9% of the total adult population) in the country have received the vaccine.

       "In total, 19,761 cases (80.3%) of the total number of cases recorded today did not receive the vaccine or had not completed their vaccination.

       "Get the Covid-19 vaccine to reduce the risk of serious infection," he said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 26).

       Dr Noor Hisham also noted that the country recorded the highest number of recoveries in the past month, with 22,657 cases.

       "Compared to July 25, the total cases discharged from the hospital are 1,562 and this rose to 2,153 people on Aug 25. This is a positive sign," he said.

       Cumulative recoveries to-date are now at 1,359,791 while the cumulative Covid-19 cases are 1,640,843.

       Active Covid-19 infections now stand at 265,841 cases.

       Currently, 990 patients are in intensive care, with 487 requiring ventilator support.

       The infectivity rate of the country as of Aug 25 was at 1.02 with the highest infectivity rate recorded in Sarawak and Perlis at 1.22. This is followed by Sabah at 1.21 and Penang at 1.12.

       All the other areas recorded an infectivity rate of above 1, except Selangor, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan and Negri Sembilan.

       There were also 35 new clusters reported, bringing the cumulative active clusters in the country to 1,471 clusters.