KUALA LUMPUR: A surge in Covid-19 cases is inevitable due to the Omicron variant.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, however, said the public should not be alarmed as the country's vaccination rate was high, among others.
He said the public should look at other important indicators such as hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions.
"The number of Covid-19 cases will increase. However, it will be low-severity cases with 99 per cent of them under Categories 1 and 2," he said at a press conference following the launch of the national Covid-19 immunisation programme for children (PICKids) at the Tunku Azizah Hospital, here, today.
Khairy said Malaysia was better prepared to deal with Covid-19 cases now, adding that the ministry had created a better hospital admission system and plans to use antiviral medicines for patients.
"There will be a clinical care pathway for those who are at risk such as the immunocompromised and the comorbid.
"So that the system prioritises those who are most in need while those with asymptomatic or mild symptoms can observe home care and quarantine."
Khairy also said seriousness of the cases had differed from last year's Delta wave when there was a correlation between the number of cases and the seriousness of infection.
"Last year when the cases went up, the admissions, ICU occupancy and deaths also went up.
"Last year the system was so overburdened that the system collapsed. But now we can see a decoupling between the seriousness of infections and number of cases."
The ministry reported 5,736 cases on Wednesday and 5,720 cases on Thursday.
In the past seven days, hospital admissions nationwide have increased by 5 per cent, lower than the 33 per cent average increase in daily Covid-19 infections.
The country's ICU figures, however, continued to decline since September last year, with the utilisation rate at 50 per cent.
Earlier Dr Mahesh Appannan, head of data at the ministry's Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) said milder Covid-19 cases were now being admitted, in reference to the over 70 per cent rise in hospital admissions in Kuala Lumpur.
Khairy further said the easing of border controls and isolation requirements would be announced once booster and the PICKids programme reached a satisfactory level.
Over 50 per cent of the adult population had received their booster shots.
He said 30 per cent of the elderly population have yet to get their booster shots and hoped that they would do so soon.
"Once we reach a stage where we feel comfortable to open up even more, we will do so. We need to expand our economic recovery," he said when asked on the threshold for borders to be reopened.
Khairy said the approach on reopening the economy would be targeted, calibrated and proportionate, instead of opening it up in one shot.
The minister also said he would bring up issues such as the extension of operation hours of outlets and allowing night clubs to operate to the National Security Council (NSC) quartet meeting for discussion.
A review of isolation requirements is however expected to be announced after Chinese New Year.
Khairy was earlier asked whether Malaysia would follow Denmark and the United Kingdom in lifting all domestic restrictions.
He said the mask wearing mandate was here to stay, adding that the measures would enable Malaysia to transition into the endemic stage.
He said this would also allow people to go back to a semblance of their lives before the pandemic struck the nation in 2020.
"Now everyone can celebrate their festivals, go to their places of worship and children can attend school."