PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 — Malaysia is expected to enter the third wave of COVID-19 in line with the increasing number of cases recorded worldwide recently, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
“Now we see it is at the starting stage for the third wave; so the cases detected were not only in our country but other countries are also seeing an increase,” he told a media conference on COVID-19 updates here today.
Asked on the Health Ministry’s (MOH) projections on COVID-19, he said it depended on the actions of MOH, and various other agencies like Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Immigration Department, Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and all Malaysians.
“Together we can take our own actions, that is following the SOP, while MOH will implement public health interventions, PDRM conducts roadblocks and MAF steps up controls at borders, rat trails and the like.
“The ministry will also take action to protect certain places like elderly care homes, immigration detention depots, prisons and other detention facilities,” he added.
Dr Noor Hisham said MOH was now better prepared to deal with the pandemic than when it first struck, in terms of mobilisation of personnel, and number of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators.
“MOH has undertaken mobilisation of health support teams; before Sept 27 we had sent MOH health personnel to certain districts (Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna) in Sabah.
“We will assess the need and will send more experts if necessary,” he added.
Asked on the Tembok Cluster in Kedah, he said it was under control because the infections were in a confined space, prison.
“It is not in the community and this Tembok Cluster is like the cluster at the Immigration Detention Centre in Bukit Jalil,” he said.
The Tembok Cluster today registered 128 cases, bringing its cumulative total to 220, as Malaysia recorded 287 new cases, the highest daily figure since the pandemic hit the country in January.
