Updated: New COVID-19 cases hit a record of 6,075, 46 deaths while ICU beds run out

Stay at home please, pleads Health DG Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah (left). File Photo.

PUTRAJAYA, May 19 – New COVID-19 cases in the country hit a record of 6,075 today, bringing total cases close to half million. Forty-six deaths were also reported today.

The bulk of today’s daily new cases came from from Selangor at 2,251 followed by Johor with 690 cases and Kuala Lumpur with 660 cases, the Ministry of Health announced in its Facebook page today.

A total of 559 people are also being treated in Intensive Care Units, with 303 of them on assisted breathing.

As of today, a total of 485,496 people have been infected by the virus, while 436,116 people have recovered and 2,040 people have died from COVID-19.

There were also no more green zones in Peninsular Malaysia as of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in his Twitter posting today, Health Ministry Director General Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said COVID-19 hospitals have increased the number of ICU beds allocated for COVID-19 patients, through the repurposing of ordinary wards. However, this has also reduced the chances of non-COVID patients to receive proper critical care.

The situation in Klang Valley is dire. Seventy-nine percent of total ICU beds in COVID-19 hospitals in Selangor and in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have been allocated for COVID-19 cases. Total COVID-19 ICU admission (including suspected/ probable) in Selangor and KL and Putrajaya has increased by 94 percent compared to two weeks ago.

The DG also appealed to the people to stay at home if there are no urgent matters to attend to and to comply with the standard operating procedures.

“The healthcare system in Klang Valley is under tremendous pressure. Frontliners are drained and fatigued. Help us so that we are still able to help you if and when the time comes.”

Meanwhile, on the nationwide vaccination mission, a total of 10,288,034 people have registered for their anti-COVID-19 doses while a total of 1,263,585 have received their shots.