KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — With hospitalisation rates for Covid-19 on the rise, the Health Ministry has reported that intensive care units (ICU) in two states are running at more than 50 per cent capacity.
In its latest statement this morning, the ministry said as of yesterday, Johor and Kelantan’s ICU bed occupancy was at 65 and 50 per cent respectively.
As for non-ICU hospital beds, eight states were above 70 per cent capacity: Perak (99 per cent), Kelantan (96 per cent), Selangor and Perlis (93 per cent), Putrajaya (85 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (84 per cent), Johor (80 per cent) and Sabah (79 per cent).
In terms of Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC), eight states had breached the halfway mark: Perak (74 per cent), Negri Sembilan (73 per cent), Selangor (71 per cent), Terengganu (60 per cent), Kelantan (59 per cent), Sabah (58 per cent), Kedah (51 per cent) and Penang (50 per cent).
Currently, 141 Covid-19 patients in the country require breathing assistance, putting ventilator usage at 36 per cent.
The ministry also said there were 1,469 hospital admissions for Covid-19 yesterday, of which 35.5 per cent or 522 were under Category Three to Five.
The remaining 64.5 per cent or 927 cases under Categories One and Two were admitted as a precautionary measure for a variety of reasons.
Out of the total 26,701 cases recorded yesterday, 118 or 0.44 per cent were in Category Three to Five.
Of this number, 22 were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated, 71 cases had received two jabs and 25 had already received their booster shot.
Another 19 new clusters were also recorded, bringing the total number of active clusters to 481.
The average Rt value nationwide is now at 1.32, with Labuan being the highest at 1.96 followed by Sarawak with 1.56 and Sabah at 1.51.
