KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 ― Malaysia reported 6,968 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. 

The latest numbers represent a slight increase of 899 cases compared to new infections recorded yesterday, which was at 6,069. 

With this latest figure, the total number of cases recorded since the start of the pandemic in the country is now 4,409,202. 

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that out of the 6,968 cases today, 32 cases were imported involving 24 Malaysians and eight foreigners.

"The remaining 6,936 cases reported locally involve 6,718 Malaysians and 218 foreigners,” he said in a statement. 

Dr Noor Hisham also said that 97 patients are currently being treated in intensive care units (ICU) nationwide, with 58 confirmed to have Covid-19 while the remaining 39 either suspected, probable or under investigation for the disease. 

Of that number, he said 63 needed ventilator assistance, among whom 38 are Covid-19 positive patients. 

He also added that 16 people died from the deadly disease yesterday, with eight of them dying before arriving at hospitals for treatment. 

With this, he said the current death toll since the start of the pandemic stands at 35,465. 

He also said that 8,267 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total cumulative amount of recoveries in the country to 4,283,031. 

He said that of the 6,968 cases today, only 31 are in Categories 3, 4 and 5 — which require hospitalisation, while the balance are in Categories 1 and 2.

Dr Noor Hisham also said four new clusters were reported yesterday and the total active clusters in the country stand at 106. 

Malaysia’s Covid-19 infectivity rate (R-naught or R0) is now at 0.84.