GEORGE TOWN – The Penang government is asking the public not to be complacent and remain vigilant following a sudden upsurge of Covid-19 cases in the state.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that based on a state Health Department report, there was a 6.4% increase in infections from the 24th epidemiological week (EW), June 12 to 18, to the 25th EW, June 19 to 25, in the state.
He cautioned health authorities may need to be on standby to reopen a quarantine centre in Penang if the trend persists.
“Although the number of cases has not been announced, we are still monitoring the latest situation of Covid-19 cases in Penang and we remain vigilant.
“If we look from the 24th EW to the 25th EW, the number of cases increased by 6.4%, from 1,007 cases in the 24th EW to 1,072 cases in the 25th EW,” he said at a press conference at his office in Komtar here today.
Chow added that so far there are no active clusters in the community although the daily cases on June 25 reached 173 cases a day.
However, he said, there were 12 admissions of Covid-19 patients to hospitals in the state last week. This is an important statistic that all parties need to take into account, he stressed.
“Currently, no deaths have been reported due to Covid-19 infection and I hope the state Health Department will be prepared to face any eventuality, including the need to reopen the quarantine centre,” he said.
Earlier, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Malaysia was expected to face the new wave of Covid-19 earlier than the two or three months previously announced.
Khairy was reported to have said that the initial expectation was not to cause panic among the community but to take into account the preventive measures that need to be taken to cover every aspect by all parties involved. – The Vibes, June 27, 2022
