IT is easy to feel discouraged when looking at the increasing number of active Covid-19 cases every day.
We were used to seeing only 100-plus cases per day, on average, at the height of the pandemic during the Movement Control Order. Then, things began to die down and there was a time when we saw daily increases in the low double digits, and even single digits on some days.
Now, we are seeing numbers in the 400s, 500s and 600s. This third wave of infections and Conditional MCO that we are now under is indeed a despairing predicament. Understandably, it is depressing.
But, here's a consolation — the World Health Organisation has praised Malaysia for its handling of the outbreak. And, there is no higher medical authority in the world than the WHO.
WHO says Malaysia has a strong capacity in outbreak preparedness and response, and, in fact, had begun investing in such things as increasing testing capacity as early as February when the pandemic first came to our shores.
WHO representative in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore Dr Ying-Ru Jacqueline Lo said the country's infrastructure and a well-trained workforce providing high-quality healthcare have also contributed towards this end.
In a commentary section on the WHO website entitled "A country united in the face of the pandemic", she said in the years prior to the pandemic, the government and the health authorities had taken great steps to bolster Malaysia's health security and multi-sectoral response capacity for health emergencies and disaster preparedness.
WHO's commendation is a testament to the government's handling of all things Covid-19. And, when we say government, we mean all levels of government, from the very top to the frontliners, who have been toiling to help Malaysians survive this pandemic from day one.
Malaysians, too, by and large, should be commended. We have all played a role in managing this contagion. And, collectively, minus the bad apples, we are doing our best despite the increased numbers.
So, to our critics and sceptics, to doubt that Malaysia is not doing a good job is a disservice to the healthcare workers and others who have been putting their lives at risk every single day to manage this pandemic.
And, to say the government is more inclined to politicking than battling Covid-19 is an insult to those working round the clock to hold back a modern-day black plague of sorts until a vaccine or a cure can be found.
We have been doing well — we must continue to do so, and as this Leader said before, it is our collective responsibility to fight this pandemic till the very end.
As WHO recommends, national efforts now should continue to encourage people to maintain their recommended precautionary practices. Ongoing vigilance and prevention are the only ways to stop transmission of the virus until a vaccine is found.
So, let's prove our worth and continue this fight.
All the preparedness, the government efforts, hardwork and sacrifices of our frontliners will be worth nothing if we, the Malaysian public, do not do the things required of us.