COVID: Rt increasing, no drastic rise in cases - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: There has been a rise in the country's COVID-19 infectivity rate (Rt) although there is no drastic rise in cases, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

He said there were several factors that contributed to the infectivity rate, namely new COVID-19 cases, recoveries, as well as taking into account communities that have yet to be infected and communities that have been vaccinated.

"We are seeing (infectivity rate) a rise but a majority a category one and two cases, which is what was expected to happen after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

"Hospital admission and bed usage in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) have remained low and the Ministry of Health (MOH) is still able to take in patients, we do not see a sharp increase in cases," he told reporters after launching the Evolution of Nursing Uniform Exhibition at the National Museum here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said the MOH expected an increase in new COVID-19 cases after the reopening of the border on April 1, but the high vaccination rates and adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) among Malaysians had kept the situation under control.

In another development, Dr Noor Hisham said the number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases and dengue cases had declined in the last two years as many have adopted public health measures.

"If we adopt public health measures, we not only control COVID-19 but other infectious diseases as well," he said.

Apart from thanking nurses in Malaysia for their contribution and services, Dr Noor Hisham also expressed his appreciation to the Museum Department for their efforts in organising the nurses' uniform exhibition as a show of thanks to frontline staff.

The exhibition is being held from today until May 22 at the Central Hall, National Museum and the exhibition storyline revolves around the introduction of World Nurses 'Day, explanation on the theme of this year's celebration and the evolution of nurses' uniforms in Malaysia from the early 1900s to the present.

Among the collections on display are nurses 'uniforms from across the country, patient care equipment and old photographs of nurses at training schools.

-- BERNAMA