PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry expects a spike in Covid-19 cases after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations but the majority should be in Categories 1 and 2, says Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic).
He said the ministry had studied the trend of cases for the past two months and found that 99.5% were in those categories with either no symptoms or just mild ones.
Even hospital admissions and warding in intensive care units (ICUs) as well as the need for ventilator support was decreasing and the number of deaths was also on the decline, he added.
He said the excess mortality rate in 2020 and the first six months of 2021 was low compared with before the pandemic but there was a surge in July and August last year.
"However, the excess mortality rate was successfully brought down after August with high vaccination coverage... (today) it exceeds 99% for the adult population, adolescent vaccinations are at 92% and booster doses are approaching 70%.
"This gives the confidence to open up all sectors and return to the seemingly pre-pandemic days but the fight is not over.
"The ministry is still using four methods of dealing with Covid-19, namely vaccination coverage, antiviral drugs, maintaining the use of facemasks in confined places... as well as performing self-tests if there are symptoms,” he told the media after spending time with Hospital Putrajaya staff Hospital who were on duty on the first day of Syawal on Monday (May 2).
Dr Noor Hisham said a total of 1,503 positive cases were recorded on Sunday (May 1) and this was a positive development due to the vaccination coverage, providing herd immunity to the community.
"The ministry hopes that this trend will continue so that we can cope with Covid-19 well and live with the virus in the transition to the endemic phase.
"If we work together and take responsibility by exercising self-control, we will be able to curb the spread.
"After the reopening of the country’s borders on April 1, the ministry expected the number of cases to increase but it has been on the decline.
"This shows herd immunity resistance (from) the vaccine... (while) those who were infected and recovered have natural immunity. This will help control and curb the spread of infection in the country,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said healthcare workers’ leave was not frozen this year so that they could celebrate Aidilfitri as the Covid-19 situation in the country was under control.
Allowing them to go on leave would enable them to be revitalised, while providing an opportunity for self-reflection to improve the readiness of health services in the event of a new surge in cases, he added. – Bernama
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