KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 21): Malaysia today reported 2,018 new Covid-19 infections, the third highest daily figure since the pandemic began in January, with Selangor contributing 1,204 or 60% of today's cases.

This raised the total number of cases to 95,327, with active cases — those who carry high transmission risks —  breaching the 16,000 mark for the first time at 16,496.

One new fatality related to the pandemic was reported in the 24 hours as of noon today, raising the country's death toll to 438.

"The deceased was a 50-year-old man who died at the Tuaran Hospital in Sabah," said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah at a press briefing.

In Selangor, 1,115 cases were confirmed from existing and new Covid-19 clusters as well as from the screening of close contacts of Covid-19 positive patients.

The state's total number of cases rose further to 25,669, compared with just 13,935 as at end-November.

After Selangor, Johor had the most cases today at 278, followed by Sabah with 247 cases.

Dr Noor Hisham said 243 of the country's new cases came from prisons and temporary detention centres, with the Tembok Gajah cluster in Johor recording 234 cases. The Jalan Harapan prison cluster in Selangor posted six cases and the Tembok cluster in Kedah saw three cases.

Dr Noor Hisham said 1,084 Covid-19 patients were discharged in the 24 hours up to noon, bringing Malaysia's total recoveries to 78,393.

*Eight new Covid-19 clusters detected, mostly in Selangor and KL

The director-general also disclosed that eight new Covid-19 clusters were identified in the 24-hour period, mostly in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

The clusters detected in Selangor were the Pekapuri cluster in Gombak with 202 positive cases and the Batu Besar cluster in Klang with 59 cases.

In Kuala Lumpur, the Pelangi construction site cluster in Kepong had 23 cases.

Other clusters included the Tower cluster which spans Gombak, Hulu Langat and Sepang in Selangor as well as Titiwangsa and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur with 20 cases, followed by the Wawasan cluster involving Petaling in Selangor, Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with six cases.

Elsewhere, the Delima cluster which spans Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur as well as Gombak and Hulu Langat in Selangor had nine cases, the J Bandar cluster in Labuan had 25 cases, and the May Indah cluster which spans the Timur Laut, Barat Daya, Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Selatan districts in Penang had 27 cases.

To date, a total of 451 clusters have been reported while 250 clusters have been declared ended as no new cases were reported in 28 days.

Today, six clusters came to an end, comprising the Teja Kasih cluster in Perak, the Permatang cluster in Kedah and Penang, the Kejora cluster in Sabah, the Bayan cluster in Penang, the Numbak cluster in Sabah and the Danau cluster in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, 44 clusters reported new Covid-19 cases today. The Sungai Putus cluster in Selangor saw 507 cases, the Tembok Gajah cluster in Johor had 234 cases and the Pekapuri cluster in Gombak reported 202 cases.