Kuala lumpur:<Text>

The current COVID-19 situation in Malaysia remains stable and has shown a significant downward trend compared to last year, with no deaths recorded so far this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Ministry of Health (MOH) stated that although neighboring countries have recently reported an increase in cases, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country up to Epidemiological Week (EW) 19/2026 had declined by 12.6 percent (9,682 cases) compared to the same period last year.

The statement acknowledged a 0.7 percent increase (575 cases compared to EW18/2026) but emphasized that the situation remains under control. Most reported cases involve mild symptoms that do not require hospital treatment, and no COVID-19-related deaths have been recorded thus far this year.

The ministry highlighted ongoing genomic sequencing activities that have detected several new subvariants within the community; however, these variants did no t show any tendency to trigger a serious wave of infections.

Efforts to strengthen traveller screening at International Entry Points are ongoing, in cooperation with the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), to ensure early detection and immediate action should there be an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission from abroad.

The MOH now manages COVID-19 infections under the category of common respiratory tract infections such as the common cold and influenza. The public is advised to maintain self-healthcare measures, including hand hygiene, wearing face masks when symptomatic or in crowded areas, and obtaining vaccination protection.

Vaccination is highly encouraged, especially for high-risk groups such as senior citizens, individuals with chronic illnesses, immunocompromised groups, and pregnant women, to reduce the risk of infection complications. These vaccination services are available at selected government health clinics nationwide.

Recently, Singapore reported an increase in COVID-19 cases, with 12,700 cases recorded for the week of May 10 to 16, compared to 8,000 cases in the previous week.