KUALA LUMPUR: New COVID-19 cases continued to show a downward trend with 4,701 cases today, compared to 4,922 cases yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 2,501,966.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the number of recoveries today stood at 5,382, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 recoveries to 2,407,205 as of noon.

"From 4,701 daily cases reported today, 88 cases or 1.9 per cent were in categories three to five while 4,613 cases or 98.1 per cent were in categories one and two," he said in a statement, today.

Of the new cases, a total of 4,673 cases were local transmissions involving 4,505 Malaysians and 168 foreigners while there were 28 imported cases involving 20 locals and eight foreigners.

Dr Noor Hisham said 544 patients were warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 280 patients needing respiratory assistance.

He said there were three new clusters today involving workplaces in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Johor.

The COVID-19 infectivity rate or R-naught (Rt) nationwide is at 0.92, with Putrajaya recording an Rt of 1.06 and Labuan having a zero rate.

Detailed information on the current infection situation and spread of COVID-19 in the country will be uploaded on the COVIDNOW website at https://covidnow.moh.gov.my and the data will be updated at midnight daily.

-- BERNAMA