‘High rate of vaccination causing drop in hospital admissions’

PUTRAJAYA: Covid-19 hospitalisation and intensive care unit admission figures have reduced in states with higher vaccination rates, the Health director-general revealed.

Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there were reductions in Labuan, Sarawak, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, where at least 40% of the adult population were fully vaccinated.

“This proves the effect of vaccination. At Hospital Sungai Buloh, admissions for Covid-19 patients have also seen a downward trend following the completion of Operation Surge Capacity.

“However, other states where vaccination rates are slower have yet to show a reduction in hospital admissions,” he told a press briefing here yesterday.

He said another sign that vaccinations were proving to be effective was the low number of severe cases among healthcare workers infected with Covid-19.

He said 6,718 fully vaccinated healthcare workers had contracted Covid-19, or 2.94% of the 248,874 healthcare workers vaccinated.

“The ministry conducts periodical screening of its workers because of their high exposure to Covid-19. Most (of those infected) are in Categories 1 and 2, which means they have mild or no symptoms,” Dr Noor Hisham added.

Meanwhile, Health deputy director-general Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong said there are currently 80,000 Covid-19 patientsundergoing self-isolation in the Klang Valley.

The chairman of the Greater Klang Valley Task Force said half of them were Category 1 asymptomatic patients, while 30% were in Category 2 with mild symptoms.

He said electronic digital trackers would be fitted on 1,000 foreigners who would undergo home quarantine in a pilot project by the Health Ministry.

He said the pilot project would be fully outsourced to a private firm to help the ministry monitor foreign visitors and people who have had close contact with Covid-19 patients.