Health experts urge Malaysians to stay vigilant against Covid 19

GEORGE TOWN, Penang – Malaysians have been urged to remain vigilant against Covid-19, especially during the coming school holidays.

Virologist Kumitaa Theva Das said Covid-19 cases would usually 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.

Schools around the country will take a one-week break from May 29 to June 9.

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.

Dr Kumitaa 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 2024.

“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 practise 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 infectious disease unit head 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