Record COVID-19 deaths, ICU patients as Malaysia reports more than 14,000 new cases

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported a record 207 deaths from COVID-19 on Monday (Jul 26), with the number of critically ill patients also reaching a new high.

The latest fatalities, which come about a week after the country's previous death record, take the national death toll to 8,201. 

There are 1,009 patients in the intensive care unit, with 524 requiring respiratory support, said the health ministry. 

It also reported 14,516 new COVID-19 infections, down from the record of 17,045 cases the previous day.

The country's tally of infections now stands at 1,027,954, of which 165,840 are active or infectious. 

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The national caseload crossed the 1 million mark on Sunday. 

New cases in the Klang Valley fell from the previous day but still accounted for slightly over half of the daily total, with 6,508 infections in Selangor and 1,425 in Kuala Lumpur.

Infections rose in Johor and Kedah, which reported 1,449 cases and 1,160 cases respectively.

In a tweet, Malaysia's health ministry said that the country administered 399,135 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday.

So far, 11.7 million people or 36.1 per cent of the population had received a single dose of a vaccine.

Of these, 5.5 million people or 16.9 per cent of the population had received both doses of a vaccine and are fully vaccinated.

Labuan, Sarawak, Perlis and the Klang Valley recorded the highest percentages of people who have been fully vaccinated.

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On Monday, Malaysia's parliament convened for the first time since a state of emergency was declared, paving the way for an eventual hybrid parliament sitting.

Speaking in parliament, law minister Takiyuddin Hassan said that Malaysia will not extend the state of emergency when it ends on Aug 1.

Malaysia has been under emergency rule since January, with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin arguing it was needed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Minister Takiyuddin said the government will not ask the king to extend the state of emergency.

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