PUTRAJAYA: Hospitalisations due to Covid-19 have increased by 42% over the last seven days and this is due to pre-emptive measures taken on those who have a history of illnesses, says Khairy Jamaluddin.

       The Health Minister said that those with comorbidities such as diabetic patients, those with hypertension and who are immuno-compromised would be warded even if they are in categories 1 and 2.

       “We are doing this as a pre-emptive measure to monitor the condition of those with health issues.

       “Which is why, the percentage of hospitalisations is seeing an increase,” he said in his weekly press conference on Thursday (Feb 17).

       Khairy said those whose houses were unsuitable for home quarantine would also be warded.

       The current percentage of hospital bed utilisation (non-clinical) is at 61%.

       The Health Minister said that Malaysia was not the only country experiencing the Omicron wave where as of Feb 15, the ratio of those infected with the virus is 629 per one million population.

       He cited that the ratio in Singapore at the same date was 2,078 per one million population while in South Korea the ratio was 1,001 cases per one million population.

       He said during epidemiology week 5, the number of deaths was 13 a day compared to the peak of the Delta variant in August last year where an average of 345 deaths a day were reported.

       “While the number of cases are increasing, deaths and critical hospitalisation are still relatively low," he said