GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is ready to ride the Omicron wave following a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state recently.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state government was informed by the state Health Department during an internal meeting today that the surge in cases in the state in the past one week was expected.
"We were told that the Omicron wave is already spreading within the community. As of now, all the cases reported involved those in Categories 1 and 2A.
"Hospital admission is under control and although there is an increase in patient admission into the low-risk Covid-19 treatment centre (PKRC) at the Mara Excellence Centre (MEC) in Jawi, the number is still manageable. We will continue to monitor the situation," he said.
Penang today recorded a total of 1,010 Covid-19 cases, bringing the cumulative cases to 173,120 cases with 1,784 deaths.
As of noon today, Chow said the state recorded 21 active clusters, of which four involved the manufacturing cluster, workplace cluster (five) education cluster (10), high risk group cluster (one) and detention centre cluster (one).
"As such, we urge all to go for their booster shots to better protect themselves.
"As for children aged 5 and above, they should speed up registration for vaccination through the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids), which started on Monday here," he added.
Besides the designated vaccination centre (PPV) at the Penang Hospital here and the Seberang Jaya Hospital for children with comorbidities and those in the high-risk group, a total of five PPV for PICKids for other children are expected to begin operations in all five districts.
They are the Sungai Nibong pesta site in the northeast district, which is expected to begin operation on Saturday (Feb 12), as well as the Sunshine supermarket hall in Bayan Baru (southwest district), Seberang Jaya expo site (Seberang Prai Tengah district) and Dewan MPKK Bandar Cassia (Seberang Prai Selatan district) which are expcted to begin operation next Monday (Feb 14).
Meanwhile, Chow said during the meeting, it was also decided that private PKRC in hotels would be created, aside from the MEC, to cater to the possible rising need of positive Covid-19 cases who needed quarantine facilities outside their own homes.
"A decision is also made on the management of Covid-19 digitally through the MySejahtera app while the state Health Department's Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) call centre hotline 04-3827143/04-3827142 will continue to operate from 8am to 5pm daily.
"Other hotlines, call centres and necessary preparations will be activated when the need arises," he said.