KUALA LUMPUR: Death from Covid-19 is 20 times higher among the unvaccinated population compared to the vaccinated ones, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

       Dr Noor Hisham posted on Twitter that the Covid-19 death trend in Malaysia continued to show a downward pattern due to the wide vaccination coverage.

       “Our (Health Ministry) data showed that deaths among the non-vaccinated and partially vaccinated is 3,200 person/mortality per one million population.

       “Among the fully vaccinated, breakthrough death is only 160 person/mortality per one million population.

       “In the boosted population (individuals who have received the booster dose), death is four person/mortality per one million population,” he said.

       Dr Noor Hisham said based on the National Covid-19 Mortality data from Jan 1 to Dec 4 this year, the highest announced total mortality was on Sept 11 with 592 cases, Bernama reported.

       The highest announced brought-in-dead was on Sept 13 with 176 cases.

       The data was based on the number of mortality reports received daily, Dr Noor Hisham said.

       He said so far this year, a total of 24,014 people died in hospitals and 6,046 were brought-in-dead cases.

       Meanwhile, in Kota Kinabalu, Bernama reported that the Sabah state assembly was told that only 3% or 687 Sabah civil servants had yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19 based on health factors and other reasons.

       Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir said 19,584 or 97% of state civil servants had been vaccinated, including civil servants in the Sabah Local Authorities and Statutory Bodies.

       He said the state government required all state civil servants to complete Covid-19 immunisation to create a safe workplace environment and ensure that service delivery and productivity of the state civil service were at an optimal level.“

       After Nov 1, 2021, all state government officers must complete the Covid-19 immunisation doses. Officers who fail to comply with this directive may face disciplinary action or termination of service in accordance with the Sabah State Public Officers Regulations 2008.

       “Officers not eligible for Covid-19 immunisation must get confirmation from a medical officer and inform the Head of Department,” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Ewon Benedick (Upko-Kadamaian), who had asked about the number of state civil servants yet to be vaccinated and the policy on civil servants who did not want to receive the vaccines.