KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported 1,576 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Friday, bringing the national total to 330,042.

People wearing face masks walk on a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dec. 24, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 11 of the new cases are imported and with 1,565 being local transmissions.

Two more deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 1,225.

Another 1,996 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 314,457 or 95.3 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 14,360 active cases, 151 are being held in intensive care unit and 57 of those are in need of assisted breathing.