Malaysia Minister of Health, Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad declares no new COVID-19 variants detected, affirming a controlled situation with predominantly mild cases that do not necessitate hospitalization.
In a statement today, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed Omicron as Malaysia’s prevailing variant, with subvariants identified as XBB.1.16, XBB.1.5, EG.5, and JN.1. Dr. Dzulkefly underscored that Omicron’s subvariants are not associated with heightened severity.
“Covid-19 is here to stay, akin to other respiratory viruses like influenza. Public advice is to strike a balance between health and life during this upsurge in infectious cases,” he emphasized.
For Epidemiological Week 51 (Dec 17-23), COVID-19 hospital admission remained at 0.5%, with a 0.08% death rate.
“This indicates consistently low rates for both parameters,” Dr. Dzulkefly stated.
Assuring ongoing monitoring, the Health Ministry will track the COVID-19 situation and its variants. Dr. Dzulkefly urged vulnerable groups to wear masks in crowded areas, emphasizing self-care practices, including TRIIS (test, report, isolate, inform, seek treatment), and updating MySejahtera statuses.
“People should seek accurate information on respiratory infections, including COVID-19, from reliable sources. With society’s commitment, we will keep the COVID-19 situation under control,” he concluded.
