CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia today recorded 170 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total infections to 4,987, according to Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He also reported five new deaths, bringing the death toll to 82, a mortality rate of 1.64 percent.

On the bright side, another 202 people have recovered, putting the total recoveries at 2,478.

The total recoveries make up almost half or 49.7 percent of total Covid-19 cases.

Noor Hisham said 2,427 people are still under treatment.

Of those in treatment, 60 are in the intensive care unit (ICU), down from 66.

From the Covid-19 patients in ICU, 33 are on ventilators, down from 36 yesterday.

Details of the five new reported deaths are as follows:

Patient 4,532 (78th death)

An unidentified man who is believed to be stateless. He was found dead in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on April 6. He was posthumously tested for Covid-19 and the results came back positive on April 11.

Patient 2,052 (79th death)

A 65-year-old Malaysian man who had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. He was treated at Sungai Buloh Hospital in Selangor on March 27. He passed away on April 14 at 5.17am.

Patient 4,818 (80th death)

A 63-year-old Malaysian man who had a history of heart disease and kidney disease. He was treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital on April 7. He passed away on April 12 at 11.36pm.

Patient 4,521 (81st death)

A 74-year-old Malaysian woman who had a history of kidney disease. She was a close contact of Patient 4,088, who had attended the Sri Petaling religious gathering in late February. She was treated at Malacca Hospital on April 9. She passed away on April 13 at 4.20pm.

Patient 1,649 (82nd death)

An 81-year-old Malaysian man who had a history of diabetes. He was a close contact of Patient 343 who had attended the Sri Petaling religious gathering in late February. He was treated at Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital on March 26. He passed away on April 14 at 11.50am.

"The Health Ministry conveys its condolences to their family members," Noor Hisham told a press conference in Putrajaya this evening.

Noor Hisham, in his daily briefing on Covid-19, reiterated the need for people to practice good hygiene including regular hand-washing with soap.

He added that social distancing should also be practised by keeping a distance of at least one metre with other people.

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