MALAYSIA needs to record fewer than 1,200 cases of Covid-19 a day, and less than 10 deaths a day from the disease for seven consecutive days, before it can enter the endemic phase, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

       The endemic status also requires normal hospital bed usage to be capped at 30% for Covid-19, while the utilisation of Covid-19 ICU beds cannot be more than 10%.

       Low-risk quarantine and treatment centres should also stop operating by then.

       “There are seven indicators, and among them, is having a positivity rate of less than 5% in Covid-19 screenings,” said Aaron during question time yesterday.

       “Transmission rates involving hospital workers must also be kept at less than 1%,” he said, adding that the final indicator is achieving a population vaccination rate – of not merely adults – at 80%.

       Earlier, Aaron said the endemic phase of a country will be determined by the World Health Organisation and the government based on present Covid-19 figures.

       There were 4,626 new infections recorded in the country yesterday.