PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry does not expect a new Covid-19 wave hitting the country, given the decreasing daily cases.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that there has been no new variants detected in a year, aside from the Omicron variant.
"Data shows that daily cases and admission to hospital have seen a decrease for now,"
"We have a strategy including surveillance and sewage water monitoring to detect new variants. So far, only Omicron is in our environment, but we are still closely monitoring new variants.
"Even though it is expected that there will be a spike of cases with each new subvariant, we see that it will not happen,"
"The existing vaccines are able to provide all individuals with sufficient immunity and protection against the Omicron variant, therefore, we expect that it (new wave of Covid-19 infection cases) will not happen," he said in a special session with the media today.
He said that the Health Ministry will tighten controls and increase preventive measures if it sees an increase in Covid-19 cases, including imported ones.
"We will tighten control and increase preventive measures if there is a new variant detected other than Omicron, or if there is an increase of Covid-19 cases in sentinel clinics, or the detection of a new variant from the water sewage samples.
"We will also look into the use of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and ward capacity. If they reach 30 per cent, then we will take action. Right now, the usage is less than 20 per cent.
"Deaths due to the Omicron also did not increase. If it does, we will take a stricter action," said Dr Noor Hisham.
Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry will also monitor any increase of cases in neighbouring countries and act accordingly if there is a spike in cases.
He said that if there is a need for the Health Ministry to heighten actions from what it is now, it will be based on data and facts.
"In the past two weeks, the cases have decreased by 500. A few months before, the number of cases ranged between 3,000 and 4,000.
"We are monitoring the current situation before taking any drastic action," he said.