Covid cases to be monitored: Khairy

SUNGAI BULOH: The Health Ministry will continue to monitor Covid-19 cases during the 15th general election (GE15) campaign period, as well as intensify efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Caretaker Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that although there has been an increase in daily Covid-19 cases, the situation is still under control based on the low number of admissions due to the virus infection.

“So far, like Omicron, even though the cases are on the rise, hospital admissions are not high and the death rate is low,” he said.

“There is a wave of infections, but in terms of severity, it is not that bad.”

Khairy said the Health Ministry has recommended several standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the Election Commission for the GE15 that is Covid-19 safe, which will be announced soon.

He added that health departments in all states have also been instructed to provide additional officers to help Covid-19 patients go out to vote at their respective polling centres.

“We do not want them to be at the polling station for too long. The patients will go to the centre, register and show their MySejahtera status to the health officer. There is no need to queue. They will cast their vote and leave,” Khairy, who is contesting for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat, told reporters in Kota Damansara here yesterday.

In October, Khairy announced that the Health Ministry would implement the Covid Safe Election SOP by recommending that individuals who are positive for Covid-19 be allowed to exercise their responsibilities as voters in GE15.

Separately, Khairy said he will focus on several issues in Sungai Buloh in his election manifesto, which would be released soon.

The former Umno Youth leader will face a seven-cornered contest for the seat. The contenders are Pakatan Harapan candidate Datuk R. Ramanan, Mohd Ghazali Md Hamin from PAS, Mohd Akmal Mohd Yusoff from Pejuang, Ahmad Jufliz Faiza from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and two independent candidates – Nurhaslinda Basri and Syed Abdul Razak Syed Long Alsagoff. – Bernama