KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Malaysia has sufficient supply of Covid-19 vaccines even with the recent rise in cases nationwide, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said.

He said the stock is available in all 231 public health facilities throughout the country and also includes booster doses, Utusan Malaysia reported today.

"Until now, the supply of the Covid-19 vaccine available at government health facilities is still sufficient with 231 health facilities across the country still offering the Covid-19 vaccine,” he was quoted as saying.

He disclosed that two booster doses are given out a day on average and have been since September.

The Health Ministry has been recording an uptick in Covid-19 cases since last month.

A total of 3,626 Covid-19 cases were reported during the 47th Epidemiology Week from November 19 to 25, an increase of 57.3 per cent compared to the 2,305 cases recorded from the previous week.

But Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said 48 per cent of the cases involved those between the ages of 20 and 40, adding that most who contracted the virus, about 98 per cent, displayed mild symptoms.

Dr Muhammad Radzi said on December 3 that Covid-19 cases have been detected to exceed 1,000 cases every week at an increase rate of between 7.1 to 57.3 per cent.

The government has not brought back the mask mandate, but Lukanisman advised those in the high risk groups — the elderly, the immuno-compromised, those with multiple comorbidities — to wear their face masks when in public or in poorly ventilated areas.

"The use of face masks is still encouraged. In fact, the public, especially high-risk groups consisting of seniors aged 65 and over, patients with chronic diseases and patients with low body resistance are strongly encouraged.

"Apart from that, the public is also encouraged to get a booster dose of Covid-19 as an additional protective measure,” the Sibuti MP told Utusan Malaysia.