PUTRAJAYA, Dec 7 — The current situation of Covid-19 infection in Malaysia is still under control, and is not burdening the existing health facilities, despite the increase in the number of cases, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said that there is an increase in cases of Covid-19 reported globally, including in Malaysia, in line with the trend that occurs at the end of each year, which is also reported in other countries.

"Most cases of Covid-19 in Malaysia experience mild symptoms and do not require hospital treatment,” she said in a statement today, regarding the country’s Covid-19 situation.

Dr Zaliha said that until now, no new variant has been detected in Malaysia.

"The variant which is still contagious in Malaysia is the Omicron variant, with a subvariant which is known to have a high infectivity rate but does not cause severe cases.

"However, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is always ready to face any possibility which may happen,” she said.

Hence, she advised the public to practice self-care measures, including maintaining a high level of personal hygiene and wearing a face mask for those with symptoms.

"Go and see a doctor if symptoms worsen, and get Paxlovid antiviral treatment at the nearest health clinic for individuals positive for Covid-19 and at high risk. The public can also get a primary dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at health clinics to reduce the risk of infection.

"The public is urged not to spread false news, to avoid confusion and cause public anxiety,” she said.

On Sunday, Health director-general, Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, said that 3,626 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the 47th Epidemiological Week, from November 19 to 25, an increase of 57.3 per cent compared with the 2,305 cases recorded in the previous week. — Bernama