9,918 Covid deaths since the start of year
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MALAYSIA has recorded 9,918 Covid-19 deaths for the first seven months of this year until today, compared with 471 deaths last year, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.
Of the fatalities this year, 8,615 or 86.9% were deaths in hospitals while 1,303 or 13% were dead-on-arrival (DOA) cases.
A total of 8,081 cases or 93.8% of hospital deaths involved Malaysians.
As for DOA cases, 819 or 62.9% involved Malaysians while another 484 cases or 37.1% involved foreigners.
Previously, Noor Hisham said the higher number of deaths this year is, in part, due to the more virulent Delta strain.
Health experts have also said the increase in fatalities is due to lack of care as hospitals reach breaking point in battling the pandemic.
As of today, 1,097 Covid-19 patients are given intensive care, of which 575 require respiratory support.
There were 210 deaths today, raising the country’s cumulative toll of fatalities from the coronavirus to 10,389. – August 7, 2021.