THE number of monthly Covid-19 hospital admissions increased by 17.6% in April compared to last month, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.

She added that the increase had not put the health system under any strain and that hospitals were still operating as usual.

“The majority of hospitalised patients are from high-risk groups, such as the elderly and people with comorbidities. 

“However, most cases are people with mild symptoms, are stable and the Covid-19 situation is not alarming,” Zaliha said in a statement today. 

She also said the fatality rate from the start of the year to date is 0.3% of total infections, compared to the Delta wave, which was 2.1%. 

She said 63.8% of fatalities were over 60, while 90.7% had comorbidities, noting that the mortality rate of unvaccinated people is six times higher than that of people who receive a single booster dose.

Zaliha said, as of April 11, only 16.3 million people (50% of the population) have received the first booster shot, and only 818,000 have received the second booster shot.

“The risk of hospitalisation and the severity of symptoms can be reduced by taking a booster dose. 

“Therefore, the public, especially people who are high-risk, are advised to get a booster dose due to immunity waning three months after the last dose,” she said. 

Zaliha encouraged the public to use facemasks when in crowded and confined public places, as the nation gears up for Hari Raya. – April 13, 2023.