GEORGE TOWN – The highly contagious BA5.1 variant of Omicron has yet to be detected in Penang, but it does not mean that there is room for complacency, said state public health exco Dr Norlela Ariffin.
Norlela said genomic sequencing for Covid-19 variants here have yet to detect the BA 5.1 variant in Penang so far.
The variant is reportedly highly contagious and its presence in early July has seen a global resurgence of the flu-like disease.
In view of this, Norlela said that it makes sense that people try to secure their second booster shot in a bid to contain the spread of the subvariant.
This is applicable especially to the vulnerable, such as those with underlying conditions and the aged, said Norlela in a WhatsApp interview.
There are now 51 vaccine centres in Penang offering second booster shots, 19 of which are public health clinics, and the rest being private clinics.
“Senior citizens are encouraged to register for the second booster shot through MySejahtera or at the health clinics.
“There are some clinics offering walk-ins for certain days too,” she said.
As of July 19, only 9,243 people registered in Penang have received their second boosters, 63.7% of which are aged 60 and above.
There are now 1,275 active cases in Penang, while the death toll has been stagnant for the past week at 2,006, but 80 are hospitalised while one remains in an intensive care unit.
Despite concerns over the rise of new cases, Penang’s tourism sector is showing signs of a strong rebound, especially in business tourism events.
“There was a 783% increase in weekly international direct flights into Penang International Airport between January and July 17 this year.
“This makes Penang the state with the second highest number of international flights after Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” said state exco for tourism Yeoh Soon Hin.
"The streets of Penang have seen an influx of international travellers and we are thrilled to see that tourism activities have begun to gain vitality in the market.
“We have also taken steps to reignite the marketing strategies catering to the international market from 2020.
“The ‘Welcome to Penang’ tagline has also been highly elevated through the use of digital marketing schemes with promotions and deals curated exclusively for the travellers,” he said.
The maritime cruise industry has also picked up with the arrival of mega cruise ships, as the Spectrum of the Seas by Royal Caribbean Cruises and the Genting Dream by Resort World Cruises called at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal weekly.
Yeoh however reminded all travellers to observe the standard operating procedures of masking, physical distancing, and sound hygiene practices. – The Vibes, July 21, 2022
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