Covid-19 cases expected to drop in January: Dzulkefly

 

The Covid-19 situation in the country should not be assessed simply on the number of cases, said Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Nonetheless, he said the number of cases is expected to reduce next month.

“Our predictive modelling shows that in January, the number of cases will drop.

“We are no longer in a ‘Covid war’. We are transitioning into the endemic phase, so our response will be appropriate,” he said at the Amanah convention in Shah Alam today.

He said the Covid-19 response takes into consideration three other factors besides the number of cases, namely the number of deaths; the number of ICU cases; and the burden on health facilities, including the number of hospital beds used.

Last week, the Health Ministry acknowledged that the number of Covid-19 cases in the country was on the rise.

However, the government is not considering lockdown measures.

Instead, the government has urged the public to be mindful and practice more caution such as masking when in crowded places.

Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing earlier today reprimanded Dzulkefly to be more careful in disseminating information about Covid-19 so as not to create unnecessary public concern and spook the people.

Tiong claimed the presser last week has had a negative impact on the tourism industry. - Mkini