Category: Medical

The number of COVID-19 cases decreased by 15.7 per cent in the 23rd Epidemiological Week (EW 23/2023) from June 4 to June 10 to 3,814 cases, compared to 4,523 cases reported in the previous week.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the admission rate of COVID-19 patients including those suspected of contracting the disease into public health facilities decreased from 4.4 to 3.8 per 100,000 of the population in EW 23/2023 compared to EW 22/2023 (May 28 to June 3).

She said the intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy rate also decreased by three per cent in EW 23/2023, while the percentage of non-critical COVID-19 bed occupancy decreased by one per cent.

“In EW 23/2023, a total of 87 new Omicron variants were reported, comprising 75 cases of variants of concern (VOC) and 12 cases of variants of interest (VOI),” she said in a statement today.

To date, she said the cumulative number of cases of the variant XBB.1.16 (Arcturus) and sublineages was 55 cases, all of which were local transmissions.

Dr Zaliha said 16 of the cases were reported in Melaka, 12 in Selangor, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (seven), Sarawak (six), Johor (four), the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (three), Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Sabah (two cases each) and Perlis (one).

She said as of EW 22/2023, surveillance of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) for COVID-19 at sentinel locations across the country found that 114 ILI samples were detected as positive for COVID-19 with a positive rate of 13.44 per cent , while 9.26 per cent of SARI samples were detected positive for COVID-19.

Dr Zaliha said that based on data up to June 10, only 50 per cent or 16,337,334 Malaysians had received the first booster dose and only 2.5 per cent or 824,677 had received the second booster dose.

Meanwhile, regarding the hot spell in Malaysia, Dr Zaliha said that based on monitoring by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) on June 12, 2023, only Bau in Sarawak was reported to be at Alert Level 1 (Caution).

“No area is reported to be at Alert Level 2 (Heat Wave),” she said.

The cumulative number of cases of heat-related diseases from EW 16/2023 to EW 23/2023 was 39, she said, adding that they comprised 23 cases of heat exhaustion, 11 cases of convulsions, and five cases of heat stroke.

According to Dr Zaliha, 25 of the cases involved adults, teenagers (nine), children (three) and the elderly (two) will all those who received treatment reported stable and discharged.

Dr Zaliha said no new cases of death due to heat stroke were reported in EW 23/2023 which meant that only one such case had been reported so far this year, namely on April 25.

She also advised the public to limit their time outside during hot times of the day and reduce strenuous physical activity, apart from drinking water frequently to ensure adequate hydration.

“If you are not feeling well, seek immediate treatment at a nearby health facility,” she added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The Ilocos Region has received 23,460 doses of the Pfizer bivalent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine that will be administered to healthcare workers and the elderly population. In a phone interview on Wednesday, Dr. Rheuel Bobis, Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development in Ilocos Region (CHD-1) medical officer, said the vaccine will serve as a third booster shot. The DOH-CHD-1 said healthcare workers and those belonging to the elderly population who had gotten their second dose four months ago are qualified to receive the third booster. ‘It will be for healthcare workers and senior citizens. In the initial rollout, the allocation will be given to DOH and provincial government hospitals,’ he said. These include 12 hospitals, of which five are DOH hospitals and the rest are provincial hospitals. The DOH hospitals are the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Ilocos Sur Medical Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Region 1 Medical Center, and Conrado Estrella Regional Medical Center and Trauma Center. The provincial government hospitals, meanwhile, include the Ilocos Sur Provincial Hospital Gabriela Silang, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, Lingayen District Hospital, Western Pangasinan District Hospital, Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital, Bayambang District Hospital, and Urdaneta City District Hospital. ‘All identified health facilities shall already start roll-out as soon as they received their supply of Covid-19 vaccine Pfizer Bivalent. Rural Health Units and City Health Offices will follow after the Measles Rubella-bivalent Oral Polio supplemental immunization activity which was extended until June 15,’ Bobis said. Meanwhile, 273 new Covid-19 cases in the region have been recorded between June 4 to 10, with a daily average of 39 cases. The figure is 21 percent lower than the cases reported between May 29 and June 3. Twelve out of the 149 cases admitted to the hospitals were considered severe and critical. Thirteen percent of the non-intensive care unit (ICU) beds were utilized, while 15 percent of the ICU beds were used.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Pope Francis is ‘doing well’ after undergoing surgery earlier this week, the Vatican said on Saturday. On medical advice, the pope will pray the Sunday Angelus ‘in private, joining spiritually, with affection and gratitude, all the believers who will want to accompany him, wherever they are,’ the Vatican said in a statement. On Wednesday, the 86-year-old Francis, underwent a three-hour operation to repair an abdominal hernia. The Vatican said his blood tests and chest X-rays taken after the surgery were ‘good.’ He was taken off intravenous tubes in the past days and he is now on a semi-liquid diet, it added. Chief surgeon Sergio Alfieri said the pope will probably remain hospitalized at Policlinico Gemelli in Rome until the end of next week.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Vietnam wishes to cooperate with Pfizer Inc., one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in medicine and vaccine supply, and hopes it will invest in the production of drugs, vaccines and medical biological products in the Southeast Asian nation in the near future, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen has said.

The Vietnamese health official showed the desire at a meeting with representatives of Pfizer Inc. in New York on the occasion of his working trip to the US to attend the International Biology Conference in the US from June 5-8.

Tuyen thanked the US government and people as well as Pfizer for their provision of vaccines and medical supplies for Vietnam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pfizer has also provided many high-quality specific medicines for Vietnam, contributing to the health care in the country, Tuyen said.

For his part, Timothy Hogan, senior vice president of external relations at Pfizer Inc., affirmed that Vietnam is one of the countries that the firm prioritises cooperation with.

He also offered recommendations for Vietnam to develop biopharmaceutical industry, such as building a leading scientific centre for producing high-quality medicines in the ASEAN region, promoting development and application of digital health, and creating a stable and favourable environment for cooperation to attract investment in the health sector./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The number of new COVID infections dropped by 9.9 per cent to 5,801 cases in the 21st Epidemiological Week (ME 21/2023) from May 21 to 27, compared to 6,439 cases in the previous week.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said admissions of COVID-19 patients, including suspected cases, to health facilities also declined from 5.8 to 5.3 per 100,000 population during the week.

In a statement today, she said the utilisation rates of ICU and non-critical beds decreased by four per cent respectively.

“In ME 21/2023, a total of 113 new variants were reported, which comprised 87 cases of Variant of Concern (VOC) and 26 Variant of Interest (VOI), all of them were Omicron variants,” she said.

She also said that, to date, the cumulative number of cases of XBB.1.16 (Arcturus) and sublineages were 50 cases, all of which were local cases.

Meanwhile, as of May 27, only 50 per cent or 16,335,353 Malaysians had received the first booster dose, while only 2.5 per cent or 823,317 people had received the second booster shot.

“The risk of hospitalisation and the severity of symptoms can be reduced by taking a booster dose. Until now, the COVID-19 situation in Malaysia is still under control and health services in hospitals have not been affected,” she said.

Regarding the hot weather situation in Malaysia, Dr Zaliha said no new death cases due to heat stroke were reported in ME 21/2023.

A total of 34 cases of heat-related illness were recorded from ME 16/2023 to ME 21/2023, involving 20 cases of heat exhaustion, nine cases of heat cramps, and five cases of heat stroke.

She said 21 cases involved adults, teenagers (eight), children (three) and senior citizens (two), adding that all other cases are stable and have been discharged.

Dr Zaliha advises the public to limit outdoor and extreme physical activities and to drink water regularly.

“If you experience symptoms of heat-related illness, seek immediate treatment at a nearby health facility,” she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ALTY Orthopaedic Hospital, one of Malaysia’s comprehensive single-specialty Orthopaedic Hospital and the Eureka Robotics Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University have joined hands to introduce Malaysia’s first Tokku Zone to enable the offering of service robots in a single-specialty orthopaedic hospital.

The Tokku Zone is a special area for Robotics Empirical Testing and Development (RT Special Zone) originating from Japan. The Zone has already been established in areas such as Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka City, Kitakyushu City and Cardiff City.

Source: Nam News Network

The super health center (SHC) that will soon rise in Barangay San Juan in the municipality of Barotac Viejo in Iloilo province will bring services closer to coastal barangays, said Mayor Nielo Tupas on Wednesday. ‘The super health center will serve as an extension of the municipal health center offering services such as consultation, vaccination, and even as birthing center,’ he said in an interview during the groundbreaking ceremony for the PHP10 million project. The ceremony was graced by Senate Committee on Health chairperson, Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, Iloilo 5th district Representative Raul Tupas, Board Member Binky April Tupas, Iloilo Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon, and other local officials of the municipality. Tupas said the project that comes with a PHP2 million fund for the acquisition of equipment is a state-of-the-art health facility, so they will also try to complement it with better services. ‘This area is prone to accidents so it’s a big thing. It (SHC) will cater to all but since this is near coastal barangays, it would be an advantage for them,’ the mayor added. Among the coastal barangays expected to benefit are San Fernando, Santiago, Puerto Prinsesa, San Francisco, San Roque and San Juan. Senator Go, in an interview, said the super health center is a medium-type polyclinic, bigger than a rural health unit and smaller when compared to a hospital. He added that the project will be turned over to the local government and it’s up to them if they want it expanded like putting in additional equipment such as a dialysis machine. Quiñon, in an interview, expressed her gratitude to the senator for the project because it will pave the way for everyone to have access to health services. ‘Everybody has to be on board and I have high respect for those politicians that make health a priority program,’ she said. She added that the provincial government through the provincial health office will provide equipment as long as the health center performs well, particularly with an ultrasound when it becomes a primary care facility. The provincial health office, according to Quiñon, also provides drugs and medicines aside from those given by the Department of Health and deploys staff to local government units for technical assistance.

Source: Philippines News Agency