KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob gave sobering statistics of the number of children under age 12 that have been infected with Covid-19.

In a statement, he said they totalled 48,261 to date. These include 6,290 babies below 18 months old. The overall number of children infected, including those older than 12, has risen drastically.

"If before, the elderly were at risk of being infected with Covid-19, it seems that the threat of this virus is already contagious to children as well,” he said.

He said the number should be a wake-up call to parents to practise vigilance with health standard operating procedures.

"This new development is very worrying and should be a wake-up call to all parties including parents.

"We, as adults, must be responsible for protecting all children from being infected.

"Therefore, apart from stressing the need to obey the standard operating procedures, we also must perform self lockdowns to prevent ourselves, children and our loved ones from being infected with Covid-19,’’ he said in the statement.

Strict adherence to preventive measures is the only way for minors to avoid infection at the moment as all Covid-19 vaccines currently used in Malaysia have not been approved for use in those below the age of 18.

* The report has been amended to reflect a correction the minister issued on the number of minors infected with Covid-19.