Virologist: Stay vigilant during the school break
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians have been urged to remain vigilant of Covid-19, especially during the coming school holidays.
Virologist Dr Kumitaa Theva Das said usually, cases would hike when there are large gatherings, as the phenomenon increases the chances of the spread of the virus.
'For example, the spike in Thailand was attributed to the Songkran Festival in April.
'But since this JN.1 variant has been circulating for a while, we are not going to see 20,000 cases a day despite the school holidays,' she said.
Dr Kumitaa, who is with Universiti Sains Malaysia, said the country's healthcare providers were also not expected to be overwhelmed.
Experts surmise that JN.1, a descendant of the Omicron lineage, emerged two years ago in several countries, including Malaysia.
She said the current spike in neighbouring countries, like Singapore, was due to the LF.7 and NB.1.8 variants, which are offshoots of JN.1. She said LF.7 was actually detected in Malaysia middle of last year.
'This means that many people may have been infected with it in the past and have immunity against it,' she said.
She added that the public should always practice caution at all times and wear masks if necessary.
'If you have young children or elderly in your family, wearing a mask will help keep you safe, especially for the high-risk groups,' Dr Kumitaa said.
Penang Hospital's infectious disease unit head Datuk Dr Chow Ting Soo said it was important for people not to drop their guard.
'We should always practice good cough etiquette and avoid public spaces when down with respiratory illnesses,' she said.
Dr Chow said wearing masks and avoiding crowded areas were a must if one is immunocompromised or elderly.
She also urged people to adopt proper hygiene practices and get their annual vaccinations.
'Now, we have the Covid-19 vaccine available at government health clinics. The elderly and those with comorbidities can get their appointments via the MySejahtera app,' she said.
State health director Datuk Dr Fazilah Shaik Allaudin said that, according to the latest announcement from the Health Ministry on May 16, all states in Malaysia reported Covid-19 cases that fell below the warning threshold for the period spanning Epidemiological Week (EW) 16 to EW19/2025, which includes Penang.
She said the ministry would continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and will implement suitable preventative measures based on the current risk assessment.
In Kedah, health committee chairman Mansor Zakaria said the situation was also under control. 'Cases recorded are not serious, and there is no indication that there will be an increase,' he said.
Schools around the country will take a one-week break from May 29 to June 9.
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Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
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For example, in the Philippines, sugar-sweetened beverage taxes have reduced consumption of sugary drinks by 8.7 percent, and a study found that they could prevent 24,000 premature deaths related to diabetes, stroke and heart diseases. In Malaysia's case, it introduced an excise duty on sugary drinks in Budget 2019 at 40 sen per litre, which was increased by 10 sen to 50 sen in Budget 2024. An additional 40 sen was added through Budget 2025, bringing the total excise duty to 90 sen per litre. The tax applies only to three categories of ready-to-drink sugary beverages manufactured locally or imported. According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), the implementation of the sugar tax in 2019 has shown a reduction in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among teenagers – from 36.9 percent (according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey [NHMS] 2017 findings) to 16.4 percent (data from a 2022 study to assess the impact and effectiveness of Malaysia's sugar-sweetened beverage tax). 'Young people and the lower-income group (B40), who are the highest consumers and spend the most on sugary drinks, have benefited positively from this tax,' the ministry said. Vendors selling candies, sweets, light snacks, fast food, ice cream and carbonated drinks are a common sight outside school gates. — AFP file pic Comply with guidelines? However, sugary beverages are not the only concern. Unhealthy eating habits among children are further reinforced by the widespread availability of fast food and processed snacks sold not only in shops but outside school gates as well. 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Next week (Monday): In the final part of this series, Bernama seeks feedback from experts and the Ministry of Health Malaysia regarding the immediate actions and measures taken to address the issue of childhood obesity in the country, including from the perspective of regulations and specific legislation. — Bernama
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
Malaysia Faces Silent Liver Cancer Crisis, 74 Pct Of Cases Detected At Stage Four
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The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Silent liver cancer crisis in Malaysia with 74% late-stage detection
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