People wearing face masks walk on a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 7, 2021. Malaysia reported 3,027 new COVID-19 infections in the highest daily spike since the outbreak, bringing the national total to 128,465, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Malaysia reported 3,027 new COVID-19 infections in the highest daily spike since the outbreak, bringing the national total to 128,465, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that six of the new cases are imported and 3,021 are local transmissions.

Another eight deaths have been reported, pushing the total deaths to 521.

Some 2,145 more patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total cured and discharged to 102,723, or 80 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 25,221 active cases, 142 are being held in intensive care and 63 of those are in need of assisted breathing.