PETALING JAYA: Although the assessment of the current Covid-19 situation is not alarming and health services are not burdened with it, the status of local areas of infection in Malaysia, which ends on Friday (June 30), has been extended by six months until Dec 31, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
"This is to enable the enforcement of several provisions in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Locally Infected Areas) Regulations (National Recovery Plan) (Transition Phase to Endemic) 2022.
"The extension of the declaration of Malaysia as an "Infectious Endemic Area" is still necessary given that there is a risk of the emergence of new variants and subvariants of the virus," the Health Minister said in a statement Thursday (June 29).
"In addition, large gatherings that are expected to occur during the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations and state elections are likely to risk contributing to an increase in cases and burdening the government's health service system if control and prevention measures are not fully implemented," she added.
Dr Zaliha then advised the public to continue to practice good self-control as is currently practiced, including ensuring personal hygiene to avoid contracting infectious diseases including Covid-19.
"People need to take greater individual responsibility to protect not only themselves, but the entire community, especially the high-risk groups," she said.
