According to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the number of COVID-19 cases is expected to drop next month (January 2024).
“Insya-Allah, this January (cases) will come down. Let’s pray together,” he said at the Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) National Convention on December 24, 2023, as reported by BERNAMA.
He added that the current Covid-19 situation is being monitored based on four criteria: the number of infection cases, deaths, admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) and the burden faced by health facilities, especially hospitals.
According to Sin Chew Daily, the Health Minister emphasised that the government strongly encourages employers to allow employees to work from home.
“Some are angry because it is not mandatory to wear a face mask. But I will not be influenced by an emotional approach, and what I do is evidence-based, which is subject to the heightened alert system (HAS), and that will continue.”
Dr Dzulkefly also stated that the Ministry of Health is now taking systematic actions according to needs rather than merely looking at the increase in Covid-19 cases.
In the 51st Epidemiological Week from 17 December to 22 December, there were a total of 22,413 COVID-19 cases recorded, a 29.5 per cent increase compared with 17,307 cases recorded in the previous week.
Let’s continue to follow SOPs, such as wearing masks, avoiding crowded places, and practising frequent handwashing.
