Covid-19 cases increase by 29% for Dec 17–22 compared to previous week

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of Covid-19 cases for Epidemiology Week (ME 51/2023), which is from Dec 17–22, increased to 22,413 cases compared to 17,307 cases in Epidemiology Week 50/2023 (Dec 10–15).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the increase recorded in ME 51/2025 compared to ME 50/2023 was 29.5%.

"During the same period, the number of Covid-19 deaths was reported to have dropped by 23.1%, from 26 deaths to 20,” he said in a statement on Saturday (Dec 23).

Dzulkefly said overall, the number of Covid-19 patients admitted to health facilities in ME 50/2023 compared to ME 49/2023, namely non-critical beds increased to 1.5%, and the filling of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds rose to 3.6%.

He said for the Covid-19 vaccine on Dec 22 (yesterday), only 50 people received the first booster dose while 120 people received the second booster dose.

He said cumulatively, as of yesterday, only 16,347,130 Malaysians (50.1%) had received the first booster dose, and only 828,686 (2.5%) had received the second booster dose.

Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and take immediate and appropriate action if necessary.

The ministry also advises the public to practise good self-assessment and control, including ensuring personal hygiene to avoid contracting infectious diseases, including Covid-19, he said.

He said people need to exercise civic responsibility to protect not only themselves but their families and the entire community, especially high-risk groups. – Bernama