COVID-19 situation under control

KUCHING: The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) said that the COVID-19 situation in the country remained under control.

It revealed most reported COVID-19 cases in Malaysia exhibited mild symptoms and did not require hospital treatment.

“For Epidemiological Week ME-51 (December 17 – 23, 2023), the hospital admission rate for COVID-19 patients is at 0.5 percent, and the mortality rate is 0.08 percent. This indicates that both parameters remain at low levels,”said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, through a statement today (Dec 29).

“As of now, no new variants have been detected in Malaysia. The prevailing variant in Malaysia is still the Omicron variant, with its sub variants being XBB.1.16, XBB.1.5, EG.5, and including JN.1. The circulating sub-variants of Omicron are known not to cause more severe cases.

“COVID-19 will continue to coexist with us, similar to other respiratory viruses like influenza,” said Dr Dzulkefly.

He advised the public to maintain a balance between health and life (life and livelihood) during periods of increasing infectious cases.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia said it would continue monitoring the COVID-19 situation and related variants periodically.

Vulnerable groups such as the elderly, individuals with chronic illnesses, and those with weakened immunity are strongly encouraged to wear face masks in crowded places or when using public transportation.

The public is also advised to uphold personal responsibilities, including wearing face masks when necessary, practising TRIIS (Testing, Report, Isolate, Inform, and Seek) and updating their status on MySejahtera.

They should obtain accurate and reliable information on respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19, from trustworthy sources.

“With commitment from all segments of society, the COVID-19 situation in the country will remain controlled,” added Dr Dzulkefly.