KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Health Ministry director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced 123 new positive Covid-19 today, bringing the total number of cases to 1,306.

"Based on initial investigations, of the 123 new cases reported today, 74 cases are linked to the Masjid Jamek Seri Petaling mosque gathering cluster.

"49 more cases are linked to other clusters, and are currently under investigation to be determined,” he told a press conference today.

Dr Noor Hisham said that to date, 25 patients have been discharged after recovering, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 139 people.

He said that to date, 46 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 are being treated in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), with 22 in need of ventilation machines.

Earlier today, Dr Noor Hisham announced the first death among its staff members, making the total deaths from Covid-19 infections nationwide nine.

The 48-year-old doctor, who was patient number 890, had travelled to Turkey and was not one of the frontliners handling Covid-19 patients, he said today on social media.