Malaysia doing better against Omicron compared to Delta wave
The Malaysian Ministry of Health affirmed on February 9 that that the country is doing better against the wave of Omicron variant infections than it did with the Delta in July 2021 due to wide vaccination coverage and high booster uptakes.
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The Malaysian Ministry of Health affirmed on February 9 that that the country is doing better againstthe wave of Omicron variant infections than it did with the Delta in July 2021 due to widevaccination coverage and high booster uptakes.
The ministry is confident that Malaysia is dealingwith a "completely different situation" regards the Omicron wavedespite recording more than 10,000 new daily cases.
The ministry, by comparing five key indicators,demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccinations and booster jabs have helped reducehospitalisations, admissions to Intensive Care Units (ICU) and fatalities.
The five key indicators - vaccination rates, new dailycases, admissions to hospitals, ICU admissions and daily deaths - compared dataobtained from July 13, 2021, (Delta wave) with data from February 7, 2022.
The number of fully vaccinated individuals recorded aneight-fold increase - from 3,940,548 people on July 13 to 25,723,208 people onFebruary 7.
A total 12,473,139 individuals, or 54 percent of the total adults, have also receivedtheir booster jabs as of February 7.
Experts said honesty and transparency are the keys topreventing a major spread of COVID-19 in schools.
Associate Professor Dr Malina Osman, a public health specialist, emphasised on theneed for all quarters to be honest when returning to schools following thesurge in COVID-19 cases nationwide./.
Malaysia's unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in December from 4.3 percent in the previous month, data of the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) showed.
Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) increased 5.8 percent in December 2021 compared to the same month of the previous year, according to the country's Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Illustrative image (Source: AFP)
