GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has urged the public not to be complacent and continue to be vigilant over the Covid-19 infection, which is showing a relapse in the state.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said a report from the state Health Department showed that there was a 6.4 per cent increase from the 24th epidemiology week to the 25th epidemiology week (June 12 to June 25) in Covid-19 infections in the state.
"Although cases of infection have not been announced, we are still monitoring the current situation of Covid-19 infection in Penang and we need to remain vigilant.
"If we look from the 24th epidemiology week to the 25th epidemiology week, the number of cases increased by 6.4 per cent, from 1,007 cases in the 24th week to 1,072 cases in the 25th week," he told newsmen in Komtar here today.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin recently said Malaysia was expected to face a fresh wave of Covid-19 infection earlier than the two or three months previously announced.
He had said that the projection was not to cause panic among the community but to take the preventive measures needed.
According to Chow, there has been no active cluster in the community identified even though the daily cases on June 25 reached 173 cases a day.
He, however, said there were 12 admissions of Covid-19 patients to hospitals in the state last week, an important statistic that must be considered by all parties.
"Since the reopening of the country's borders, there has been no admission of Covid-19 patients into the hospitals.
"Last week, however, 12 patients were admitted to the hospitals due to Covid-19 infection.
"The situation is still under control but we must continue to implement standard operating procedures (SOP) such as wearing face masks when in crowded places to ensure safety," he added.
Chow said there were no cases of death due to Covid-19 infection and hoped that the JKNPP was ever ready to face any eventuality, including the need to reopen the Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC).