The deserted Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) in Hulu Langat District, in Bandar Mahkota Cheras, September 22, 2021. ― Picture by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — The trend of new Covid-19 cases in Malaysia has started to decline since the end of August with the total population of fully vaccinated individuals at that time reaching 46 per cent.
Dr Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy, director of the Clinical Research Centre, National Institute of Health (NIH) of the Health Ministry (MOH), said the data proved the effectiveness of giving all types of vaccines through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
He said the trend of deaths due to the pandemic also recorded a reduction since the beginning of September when the total population of fully vaccinated people reached 55 per cent.
“As of Sept 12, full vaccination reduced the risk of Covid-19 patients being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by 83 per cent, and the risk of death by 88 per cent.
“Active cases reached their highest level at the end of August and then decreased we hope by the end of this year, we will reach about 4,000 and below active cases,” he said in a PICK and PICK Adolescents-related engagement session held virtually with the media today.
Meanwhile, Dr Kalaiarasu said that a study involving 1,261,270 individuals who were fully and partially vaccinated found that the risk of being infected with the Covid-19 virus could be reduced by up to 88 per cent for those who were fully vaccinated compared to 51 per cent for partially vaccinated individuals.
For the Covid-19 “breakthrough infection” study data involving 14,500,984 fully vaccinated individuals, only 0.007 per cent or 953 of them were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 0.010 per cent (1,445) were reported to have died.
“Overall, the vaccine is effective in preventing and reducing severe illness and death among Covid-19 patients as well as reducing the burden on the health system.
“Meanwhile, individuals who are not vaccinated face 11 times higher risk of death due to the Delta variant infection,” he added.
As of yesterday, a total of 18,964,474 individuals or 81 per cent of the adult population in the country have been fully vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine. — Bernama