KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Malaysia recorded 2,500 new Covid-19 cases today, or 918 fewer than yesterday.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a tweet that Selangor was still the state with the most new cases at 637, followed by Kelantan with 401 and Sarawak with 356.

Other states with new Covid-19 cases were Johor (205), Kuala Lumpur (200), Penang (194), Kedah (103), Negri Sembilan (97), Melaka (95), Perak (59), Sabah (57), Pahang (55), Terengganu (38) and Putrajaya (three).

Dr Noor Hisham also said 18 more Covid-19 patients have died, making the death toll 1,551.

Of the deaths, he said that they involve seven cases in Selangor, three in Kuala Lumpur, two each in Sarawak and Kelantan and one each in Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Johor and Sabah.

"Of the 18 deaths, 17 of them involved locals between the ages of 29 and 87, with all but one having a history of types of severe pre-existing health conditions like diabetes and stroke — while one is a foreign woman aged 49 with a history of high blood pressure,” he said.

Active cases rose to 30,753 as new infections outpaced the 2,068 full recoveries reported.

The number of critical Covid-19 patients rose again to 352, eclipsing yesterday’s new record high of 345, while those requiring ventilators also increased to 186 patients from yesterday’s 175.

Health authorities have warned that intensive care capacity both for Covid-19 and other diseases nationwide was close to exhausted in most hospitals.

Dr Noor Hisham added that nine new Covid-19 clusters were detected nationwide, while seven existing clusters came to an end today.

"The new Covid-19 clusters are called the Lorong Galing, Jalan Dahlia Lama, Bunga Raya, Industri Mahkota 2, Jalan Jati Industry, Tok Has, Jalan Bandar, Indera Mahkota Dua and Jalan Meru Utama clusters,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham added that the clusters that came to an end today are the Kalindukan, Merinding, Tanjung Genting, Bunga Tanjung Bendehara, DTI Jalan Duta, Jalan Dahlia 22 and Taman Komersial clusters.

This brings the total number of active clusters in Malaysia to 398.