KUALA LUMPUR: The number of COVID-19 cases for Epidemiology Week (ME 51/2023), which is from Dec 17-22, increased to 22,413 cases compared to 17,307 cases in Epidemiology Week 50/2023 (Dec 10-15).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the increase recorded in ME 51/2025 compared to ME 50/2023 was 29.5 per cent.
"During the same period, the number of COVID-19 deaths was reported to have dropped by 23.1 per cent, from 26 deaths to 20," he said in a statement today.
Dzulkefly said overall, the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to health facilities in ME 50/2023 compared to ME 49/2023, namely non-critical beds increased to 1.5 per cent and the filling of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds rose to 3.6 per cent.
He said for the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec 22 (yesterday), only 50 people received the first booster dose while 120 people received the second booster dose.
He said cumulatively as of yesterday, only 16,347,130 Malaysians (50.1 per cent) had received the first booster dose and only 828,686 (2.5 per cent) had received the second booster dose.
Dr Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and take immediate and appropriate action if necessary.
The ministry also advises the public to practise good self-assessment and control, including ensuring personal hygiene to avoid contracting infectious diseases including COVID-19, he said.
He said people need to exercise civic responsibility to protect not only themselves, but their families and the entire community, especially high-risk groups. -- BERNAMA