KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 ― A deputy minister tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh yesterday.

Sources confirmed to Malay Mail that the deputy minister, an Umno senator, was in stable condition.

"He was placed in an isolation ward here on Thursday evening,” one source said.

Another source confirmed that the deputy minister was among politicians who campaigned in the Sabah state election that ended last week.

Several news outlets including state news agency Bernama also reported that he had been in the state both for campaign as well as his ministry’s work.

"Yes, he was in Sabah and his office has been quarantined following his hospitalisation,” said the source.

Hundreds of politicians, their aides and political party members from the peninsula had campaigned in Sabah since early September despite the continued emergence of new Covid-19 cases and clusters there.

Since then, several have tested positive for Covid-19.

Returnees from Sabah have been identified as a major source of Covid-19 cases showing up again in most parts of the country.

Yesterday, Malaysia reported 287 new cases, its highest-ever single day number and more than double what the figure was when the movement control order was imposed on March 18.