Omicron Covid-19 wave in Malaysia
A little over a month ago, Malaysia detected its first Omicron Covid-19 variant case in a foreign student who arrived from South Africa via Singapore. Since then, we have started to see more cases of the variant in the country, with 439 Omicron cases detected as of 23rd January 2022.
Unfortunately, the concerning variant has begun a new wave of infection in Malaysia, with daily Covid-19 positive cases expected to rise once again, as revealed by Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Daily positive cases set to increase
Image credit: Noor Hisham Abdullah
Yesterday, 26th January, Dr Noor Hisham wrote on his Facebook page that a Omicron wave has begun in the country. According to him, this will lead to a surge in daily Covid-19 positive cases, with vulnerable groups at greater risk of getting infected.
Today, 27th January, Malaysia recorded a total of 5,439 positive cases – a significant jump from yesterday’s total of 4,744 infections.
The increasing trend of positive cases can also be seen from the rising infectivity rate of Covid-19 in our country. Malaysia’s current infectivity rate stands at 1.13, as of 26th January, which is the highest number in over a month.
However, Dr Noor Hisham added that the country is well prepared to face the new wave as nearly 80% of the population are fully vaccinated against the Covid-19. Additionally, Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) that remain in place and self-testing initiatives available to the public are said to help in the overall management of the new wave.
Likewise, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also reiterated on his social media accounts that there’ll be “no lockdowns and heavy-handed compounds”, but that we should all remain mindful of our community by staying safe.
Get your booster shots for optimum protection
Image credit: Noor Hisham Abdullah
On his verified Twitter account, Dr Noor Hisham recommended that Malaysians get vaccinated and boosted. Individuals should practice self isolation if they have symptoms, and perform regular self testing.
He also advises people to be wary of the Omicron wave in Malaysia, and urges everyone to continue to observe SOPs, such as wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing, among others.
Those who have completed their vaccinations are also advised to get their booster shots as soon as possible to double up on protection against the new virus variant.
Effective today, four major vaccination centres are open daily for booster shot walk-ins for Malaysians aged 18 and above.
There are also offsite PPVs accepting walk-ins for the Covid-19 booster shot. You can check the nearest vaccination centre in your area by keying in your state, city and postcode on this website.
It’s advisable to phone up the respective vaccination centre earlier to confirm if they accept walk-ins before visiting.
Omicron Covid-19 wave in Malaysia
As daily positive Covid-19 cases are on the rise, it’s important for all of us to adhere to SOPs at all times. In the meantime, it’s recommended to get your booster shots as soon as possible to help curb the spread of Covid-19 and its variants in the country.
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Cover image adapted from: Anisha Tulika / Unsplash and Noor Hisham Abdullah