As the cases rise, Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin, conducted a live broadcast to address the conditions.
He mentioned a few key points which we’ve summed up here:
- BA.5 variant (sub-variant of Omnicron) is confirmed to be amidst us, causing an outbreak in cases
- Covid cases has spiked up 31% in 5 days
- Hospitalisation rate has also gone up by 13.7% at the same time
- 31.4% Malaysian adults have not taken their booster shots
- Individuals with comorbidities will begin to receive dates for 2nd booster jab via MySejahtera
- As of July 3, 4,001 Covid-19 patients have been administered with PAXLOVID antivirals, with no serious side-effects found for now.
Khairy has also mentioned that although the severity of the BA.5 variant may not be as strong as the previous ones, the variant is definitely more contagious.
Many people who have gotten Covid-19 previously may be infected again due to this variant.
The BA.5 variant is a sub-variant of Omnicron and the symptoms would usually include:
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Muscle pain
- Fever
- Cough
- Fatigue
While the symptoms may appear similar to the common cold/flu, it is reported that the BA.5 variant seems to primarily affect the upper respiratory tract.
It is important to note that the symptoms may vary according to individuals and it’s best to consult a medical professional before self-diagnosing. Remember to self-test regularly, mask up and stay safe.
Also read: JUST IN: Malaysian Man Tested Positive For Monkeypox In Singapore
