MALAYSIA recorded its highest daily number of deaths from COVID-19, with 39 fatalities yesterday while new infections surged to 4,765.
The pandemic situation in Malaysia continues to deteriorate and the Health Ministry (MOH) has reiterated its warning that daily infections may exceed 5,000 by middle of the month if the trend continues unabated.
“The fight against COVID-19 is ongoing and Health Ministry (MOH) personnel are the last line of defence to break its chain of infection. Let’s soldier on and free our country from this pandemic,” Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah stressed.
This was the clarion call made by Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today, when he visited ministry personnel at Hospital Putrajaya here on the first day of Aidilfitri.
It is routine for Dr Noor Hisham to go on Hari Raya Aidilfitri rounds to cheer up healthcare personnel as a sign of his support for frontliners.
He added that the healthcare personnel have been battling for a long time, almost 16 months.
“Most of us are mentally and physically tired, but if we do not help to break the COVID-19 chain of infection, many in the community will be infected with this virus,” he said to reporters after his visit.
According to Dr Noor Hisham, the ministry was prepared to face the latest wave of the pandemic which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and the emergence of new variants.
However, he issued a friendly reminder to the people to stay at home if they have no important matters to attend to outside and to always abide by the standard operating procedure (SOP) to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, an assistant medical officer at the hospital, Mohamad Zahir Omar, 27, told Bernama that he was sad at being unable to celebrate Hari Raya in his hometown but was grateful for the opportunity to be of service to the country and the rakyat on this auspicious day.
“This is pandemic season and it is my responsibility to do my best to protect the health of the rakyat,” youngest among six siblings from Tanah Merah, Kelantan commented.
Matron Kamsiyah Krosnin, who has been serving for 24 years, shared that she had worked on seven consecutive Hari Raya before but took it as a call of duty.
“Raya or no Raya, we are committed to our work and need to perform our task as rostered,” Kamsiyah remarked.
“We need to set aside our emotions for the sake of duty. The lives and health of individuals are important, especially during a pandemic.” – May 13, 2021
