Malaysia reports record 6,075 new cases amid COVID-19 third wave

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported a record high of 6,075 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (May 19), as the country continues to battle a third wave of infections.

This is the first time Malaysia’s new daily COVID-19 caseload has breached the 6,000 mark. The country’s previous record was 5,728 new COVID-19 cases on Jan 30, according to the health ministry. 

A majority of the new cases were in the Klang Valley area: 2,251 in Selangor and 660 in Kuala Lumpur.

READ: Malaysia’s daily COVID-19 cases may breach 8,000 in June if regulations are not followed: Health ministry

READ: 'Increasingly challenging' situation at Selangor quarantine centre due to growing admissions: Health department

There were 699 new cases in Johor, 445 in Kedah and 441 in Kelantan. Sarawak and Penang reported 323 and 183 cases respectively.

Further information will be provided by health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah in his daily update on Wednesday evening. 

Health authorities in recent days have implored members of the public to stay at home and minimise non-essential activities. 

“Our clinicians voiced their helplessness and frustration, (and are) struggling to secure ICU beds for their patients in these unprecedented times,” Dr Noor Hisham tweeted on Sunday.

Intensive care units are overwhelmed by the demand for more beds every day, not just for COVID-19 patients but also for many critical non-coronavirus cases, he added.

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