Covid 19 Enters Fourth Year With Looming Risk Of New Sub Variant

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This is Bernama’s weekly roundup on Covid-19 and related matters in Malaysia and globally from Dec 31 to noon today.
In Malaysia, case numbers stood at 5.02 million and globally, the virus has infected more than 667 million people and caused over 6.7 million deaths. Some 638 million patients have so far recovered from the virus.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which is now in its fourth year, has affected 229 countries and territories.
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Despite significant progress in the fight against Covid-19, the virus continues to pose profound implications for health, economic progress and people’s livelihoods across the globe.
“We are concerned about the current Covid-19 epidemiological picture, with both an intense transmission in several parts of the world and a recombinant sub-variant spreading quickly.” World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual media briefing from Geneva, Switzerland on Jan 4.
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusOne of the Omicron sub-variants originally detected in October 2022 is XBB.1.5, a recombinant of two BA.2 sublineages. It is on the rise in the US and Europe and has now been identified in more than 25 countries.
Transition to the endemic phase scenario shows the XBB variant was dominant in the spread of Covid-19 in the country based on the genetic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Malaysia throughout December last year.
The XBB variant comprising 55.4 percent of the samples showed 17 genome; followed by the BA.2.75 variant (20.8 percent) and BQ.1 variant (10.8 percent).
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement on Jan 2, the XBB variant was the main variant spreading among Malaysians since October 2022. Both the XBB and BA.2.75 variants are categorised by the WHO as Lineage Under Monitoring (LUM).
He also said that two main Covid-19 variants that are found to be spreading rapidly in China, namely BA.5.2 and BF.7, accounted for almost 80 percent of the variants found in China currently. Both variants are listed as sublineages of Omicron BA.5 and have not been linked as LUM by the WHO.
Both BA.5.2 and BF.7 were also detected in Malaysia and as of Dec 31, there were 4,148 cases infected with BA.5.2 and three cases infected with BF.7 in the country, said Noor Hisham.
Meanwhile, three-digit cases during the first week of the year were still prevalent and yesterday (Jan 5), 571 new daily cases were reported including seven death cases and one imported case.
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham AbdullahDuring the week compiled by Bernama from Dec 31 to Jan 5, total new daily cases stood at 2,630 cases, down 23 percent from 3,437 cases from the week from Dec 24 to Dec 30.
Total cumulative Covid-19 cases in the country, according to data fromthe Health Ministry’s MOHNOW as of 11.59pm yesterday stood at 5,028,794 cases. Out of the remaining 11,564 active cases, 94.6 percent (10,945 cases) were quarantined at home.
For state-by-state breakdown, only Selangor recorded three-digit figures with 191 cases.
Two-digit cases were reported in Kuala Lumpur (82), Sarawak (54), Malacca (40), Perak (37), Penang (29), Kedah (24), Pahang (21), Johor (20), Sabah (18), Negeri Sembilan (15), Terengganu (15), Putrajaya (13) and Kelantan (10).
Single-digit cases were reported in Perlis (1) and Labuan (1).
Below is a breakdown of new daily Covid-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama from Dec 31 to Jan 5:
Dec 31 (513), Jan 1 (420), Jan 2 (360), Jan 3 (333), Jan 4 (433) and Jan 5 (571).
New daily Covid-19 cases during the week compiled by Bernama from Dec 24 to Dec 30:
Dec 24 (766), Dec 25 (609), Dec 26 (480), Dec 27 (423), Dec 28 (480), Dec 29 (679) and Dec 30 (583).
New daily Covid-19 cases in neighbouring Singapore for the period Dec 31 to Jan 5 are as follows:
Dec 31 (835), Jan 1 (542), Jan 2 (390), Jan 3 (556), Jan 4 (1,535) and Jan 5 (916).
For the record, Covid-19 (previously known as 2019-nCOV) was first detected in Malaysia on Jan 25, 2020, when three citizens from China who entered Malaysia through Johor from Singapore on Jan 23, were tested positive for the disease.
With a cumulative figure of 5,028,794 cases, Malaysia now ranked 28th in the list of 229 countries/territories hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of Malaysia are Chile (5,052,980) and Ukraine (5,357,941).
According to Worldometer, of the list of 229 countries, Japan reported the highest number of new daily cases (226,904) followed by South Korea (64,106) and Taiwan (31,514).
On Covid-19 fatalities, the US reported the highest figure with 1,120,804 cases.
Covid-19 scenario in Malaysia
(MOHNOW data as at 11:59pm yesterday)
According to MOHNOW data, out of 11,564 active COVID-19 cases, 10,945 (94.6 percent) were quarantined at home.
No cases were reported at the Covid-19 Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC); 637 cases (5.2 percent) at hospitals; 16 cases (0.1 percent) at the intensive care unit (ICU) without respiratory assistance (ABP) and 16 cases (0.1 per cent) at the ICU with ABP.
For the record, there are five categories of Covid-19 infections:
According to the Health Ministry, Category 1 is for patients with no symptoms; Category 2 is for patients with mild symptoms; Category 3 is for patients with pneumonia; Category 4 is for patients who require supplemental oxygen; and Category 5 is for the critically ill and need to be on ventilator support at the ICU.
Total patients warded:
Dec 31 (513), Jan 1 (420), Jan 2 (360), Jan 3 (333), Jan 4 (254) and Jan 5 (232).
Recovered cases:
Dec 31 (833), Jan 1 (542), Jan 2 (423), Jan 3 (376), Jan 4 (500) and Jan 5 (696).
*cumulative recovered cases as of 11.59pm yesterday stood at 4,980,364.
Active cases with probable infections:
Dec 31 (12,002), Jan 1 (11,871), Jan 2 (11,807), Jan 3 (11,763), Jan 4 (11,696) and Jan 5 (11,564).
Breakdown in new daily cases (571 cases):
*state-to-state breakdown as of 11.59pm yesterday
* (+imported cases)
Three digits - Selangor 191 (+0).
Two digits - Kuala Lumpur 82 (+0), Sarawak 54 (+0), Malacca 40 (+0), Perak 36 (+1), Penang 29 (+0), Kedah 24 (+0), Pahang 21 (+0), Johor 20 (+0), Sabah 18 (+0), Negeri Sembilan 15 (+0), Terengganu 15 (+0), Putrajaya 13 (+0) and Kelantan 10 (+0).
One digit - Perlis 1 (+0) and Labuan 1 (+0).
New record cases, imported cases, local transmission:
Dec 31 - New cases 513; cumulative cases 5,026,677; imported cases 4
Jan 1 - New cases 420; cumulative cases 5,027,097; imported cases 3
Jan 2 - New cases 360; cumulative cases 5,027,457; imported cases 1
Jan 3 - New cases 333; cumulative cases 5,027,790; imported cases 1
Jan 4 - New cases 433; cumulative cases 5,028,223; imported cases 4
Jan 5 - New cases 571; cumulative 5,028,794; imported cases 1
Record death cases are as below:
*BID = Brought-in-dead are cases outside the hospital and those brought to the hospital's forensic department; positive Covid-19 cases after PT PCR tests are conducted.
Dec 31 - 1 (BID 0), Jan 1 - 4 (BID 2), Jan 2- 1 (BID 0), Jan 3 - 1 (BID 0), Jan 4 – 0 (BID 0) and Jan 5 - 7 (BID 2).
*As of yesterday, Malaysia’s Covid-19 death toll stood at 36,866.
Global Covid-19 statistics
According to Worldometer, total Covid-19 cases globally stood at 667,111,756 cases compared to 664,526,101 during the previous week with 6,706,011 death cases (6,696,038 previously).
A total of 638,782,074 recovered cases were reported from 636,591,084 previously.
Some 229 countries are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and those in the top 10 of the list are the US, India, France, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK) and Russia.
The breakdown of the top 10 nations (+ new record daily cases) is as follows:
*No information (NA).
US - 103,048,885 (+30,049)
India - 44,680,604 (+202)
France - 39,381,826 (+11,537)
Germany - 37,475,448 (NA)
Brazil - 35,456,156 (+28,049)
Japan - 29,798,835 (+226,904)
South Korea - 29,363,272 (+64,106)
Italy - 25,143,705 (NA)
UK - 24,135,084 (NA)
Russia - 21,817,113 (+3,274)
Below is a breakdown of cumulative Covid-19 cases and (+new daily cases) among Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia:
*No information (NA).
Vietnam 13th spot - 11,525,571(+80)
Indonesia 20th spot - 6,722,227 (+535)
Malaysia 28th spot - 5,028,794 (+571)
Thailand 31st spot - 4,723,919 (NA)
Philippines 37th spot - 4,065,910 (+459)
Singapore 45th spot - 2,206,153 (+916)
Myanmar 83rd spot - 633,700 (+4)
Brunei 107th spot - 266,450 (NA)
Laos 113th spot - 217,835 (+10)
Cambodia 125th spot - 138,615 (+6)
Covid-19 background
WHO’s China country office was informed of cases of pneumonia that were detected in Wuhan on Dec 31, 2019. On Jan 7, 2020, the Chinese authorities confirmed that the newly detected novel coronavirus can be transmitted from human to human.
Former health minister Khairy JamaluddinCoronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-COV).
A study of the virus’s genetic sequence suggested similarities to that seen in snakes and bats. China health officials identified the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan as the source of the transmission of the coronavirus.
On Feb 11, 2020, WHO announced the official name of the virus, Covid-19, which is an acronym for coronavirus 2019 – CO stands for corona, VI for virus and D for disease.
On Jan 30, 2020, WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a global emergency and on March 11, Covid-19 was declared a pandemic.
WHO has described the Covid-19 outbreak as much more dangerous than the A H1N1 Influenza, also known as Swine Flu.
Swine Flu, which occurred between January 2009 and August 2010, infected more than 1.6 million people and caused 18,449 fatalities. It was first detected in Mexico and later in the US in March 2009.
Covid-19 was detected in Malaysia on Jan 25, 2020, when three Chinese citizens, who had entered Malaysia through Johore from Singapore on Jan 23, tested positive for the disease.
New variants of the Covid-19 coronavirus have since emerged in the United Kingdom (identified as B117) in September 2020, South Africa (501Y.V2) in October 2020 and India (B.1.617), also in October 2020.
Cumulatively, Malaysia's Covid-19 cases have breached the one million mark as on July 25, with 1,013,438 cases. The first time daily cases reached the five-digit level was on July 13 with 11,079 cases.
WHO on Nov 26 designated a new variant of Covid-19, named Omicron, a variant of concern. It was first detected in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Scientists at the IHU detected a new variant named B.1.640.2 at the end of November last year, with 46 mutations on its spike protein and nicknamed it IHU.
Meanwhile, Israel has confirmed its first case of an individual infected with “Flurona”, a term coined to describe the condition of being infected with Covid-19 and the seasonal flu simultaneously. (Jan 2, 2022).
April 1, 2022 – Malaysia enters the transition to endemic phase of Covid-19 as an exit strategy that allows Malaysians to return to normalcy after almost two years of battling Covid-19.
May 1, 2022 – On April 27, then-health minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced the easing of several restrictions, which include the lifting of the requirement for check-ins on MySejahtera effective May 1.
- Bernama

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