More than 700,000 children in Malaysia given COVID-19 vaccine

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 751,928 individuals or 21.2 per cent of the child population aged between five and 11 years in Malaysia have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.

Based on the COVIDNOW website, a total of 14,453,640 or 61.4 per cent of the adult population in the country have received the booster dose and a total of 22,947,671 or 97.5 per cent have completed the vaccination, while 23,227,035 or 98.7 per cent have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

For adolescents aged between 12 and 17, a total of 2,800,143 individuals or 90 per cent of the group have completed the vaccination, while 2,892,596 or 93 per cent have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

A total of 132,371 doses of the vaccine were dispensed yesterday, comprising 44,992 as first dose, 948 as second dose and 86,431 in booster dose, bringing the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme to 66,865,787.

Meanwhile, according to the Health Ministry's GitHub portal, a total of 57 deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded yesterday with 14 cases in Johor, followed by Sabah (eight), Perak (six), five cases each in Kedah, Melaka and Selangor, three cases each in Pahang and Terengganu, two cases each in Perlis and Kuala Lumpur, while Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Penang and Sarawak with one case each.

-- BERNAMA