Malaysia's Klang Valley close to 100% in first-dose Covid-19 vaccinations

Some 90.3 per cent of the adult population in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have received their first dose. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Klang Valley, the hardest hit region in Malaysia's Covid-19 outbreak, is close to achieving a 100 per cent rate of first-dose vaccinations.

As at 11.59pm on Friday (July 30), a total of 5,565,789 people - or 90.3 per cent of the adult population - in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have received their first dose, according to the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force.

An initiative known as "Operation Surge Capacity" started on July 16, aiming to ensure that all the estimated 6.1 million residents in the Klang Valley aged 18 and above receive at least one dose by Aug 1.

Since July 16, between 113,742 and 156,757 people per day were given their first dose.

"We will be close to achieving the 6.1 million target, but we will need to consolidate all of the relevant data after Aug 1," Bangi Member of Parliament Ong Kian Ming, the operation's coordinator for the Selangor state government, said when asked when the 6.1 million target would be met.

Operation Surge Capacity has also helped to increase the percentage of second-dose recipients in the Klang Valley.

As at Friday, a total of 2,113,511 people or 34.3 per cent of the Klang Valley's adult population have received their second dose.

When asked when the Klang Valley's outbreak would improve, Dr Ong said there was cause for optimism ahead, especially when looking at the situation in Labuan.

The Federal Territory has recorded a turnaround following a ramp-up in vaccinations, with 79.8 per cent of its adult population now fully vaccinated.

"Looking at evidence from Labuan and other countries, we can expect the number of serious cases in the Klang Valley to decrease as the number and percentage of fully vaccinated people increase," said Dr Ong.

He added that he was cautiously optimistic that a gradual improvement could begin to happen in the Klang Valley as early as this month.

More than 30 per cent of the 165 Covid-19 deaths recorded on Saturday were from Selangor, Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah had said. The country's death toll from the pandemic stands at 9,024.

Infections nationwide hit another daily record on Saturday, with 17,786 new cases reported. The country's total cumulative cases since the pandemic began has reached 1,113,272.

Meanwhile discreet social gatherings have contributed to the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in Terengganu, said the eastern state's Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar on Saturday.

He said the recent Hari Raya Haji festivities were also a factor, as people did not comply with health protocols and travelled in breach of existing movement controls, reported national news agency Bernama.

"This includes inter-state and inter-district travel without permission during the celebration," he said in a video uploaded to his Facebook page.

Terengganu recorded a sharp increase in daily Covid-19 cases on Saturday with 883 new infections, comprising 860 local transmissions. It was the highest number since the pandemic hit.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri said the spike in numbers was also due to targeted screenings and tests done on close contacts in all districts.

"There has also been an influx of foreign contract workers from outside Terengganu who are not screened and who have triggered clusters among them," he said.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.