SEREMBAN – Negri Sembilan is ready to transition to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) soon as the number of daily Covid-19 positive cases and the use of intensive care unit (ICU) beds continue to drop.
Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, however, said a specific timeframe for the transition had not been set as the National Security Council (NSC) meetings scheduled for last week and this week could not be held.
He said the state had almost fulfilled the criteria set by the NSC to transition to Phase 2, with 695,626 people or 85.4% of adults in the state having received at least one vaccine dose and 539,975 (66.3%) having completed both doses.
“The number of cases in ICUs has also improved significantly, with overall bed usage at 77% so far, and what’s far better news is that two days ago, no category 3, 4 or 5 Covid-19 cases were reported.
“This shows that vaccination has affected the state’s people positively, but we still have to comply with the stipulated standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said in an online media conference after chairing the executive councillors’ meeting here today.
Aminuddin also asked the central Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) to provide the state more vaccine supplies, as they have only received 20,000 to 21,000 doses in the past two weeks compared with 25,000 doses previously.
In another development, he said the state assembly sitting will be held as scheduled from September 3-8 with stricter SOPs to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“We are currently getting SOP details from Parliament to ensure the safety of every assemblyman who attends,” he said, adding that a new enactment involving the Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council is expected to be passed at the sitting.
Meanwhile, in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said that the state is expected to transition to Phase 3 of the NRP in September.
The number of fully vaccinated people in the state has reached around 35% and the state is only 5% short of achieving the conditions set for transitioning to Phase 3, he said.
“For Terengganu, 60% of the adult population has received at least one shot, while based on data two days ago, 35% have completed both doses.
“So, we have less than 5% to go before Terengganu achieves 40%, which is a requirement for transitioning to the next phase,” he told reporters after launching the 2021 Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign at Wisma Darul Iman here today.
The government had previously set the threshold requirements for the state to transition to Phase 3 at 40% of adults fully vaccinated, ICU bed usage at a safe level, and under 2,000 new daily Covid-19 cases.
He also said that the state government was constantly in discussions with the central CITF to ensure that it receives additional Covid-19 vaccines, as the state has seen positive Delta variant cases. – Bernama, August 18, 2021
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