Topic: Updates by National Medical Associations16^th April, 2022, Saturday; 9.30-10.30 am 

• Malaysia Update: Cases are decreasing and are now less than 10,000. Life is almost coming to normal. Booster vaccination has been accepted very well, but a concern is that people have started taking covid as norm. People quarantine themselves at home and do not inform about their covid positive. There is probably massive under reporting. An increase in cases is expected during Ramzan because of people movement and gatherings to break fasts. People are moving around normally. SOPs that have been mandated by the government such as face masks, social distancing are being observed, but there are no restrictions on gatherings or functions in terms of numbers. 

• Pakistan Update: The number of cases is very low; as per government data, there were 75 positive cases today and the positivity rate is 0.4%. No deaths due to coronavirus have been reported in the last 8 days. The vaccination is very slow. But people do not follow the SOPs. There is no masking by people, no social distancing; people are holding meetings/gatherings. Almost everything is normal. The Pakistan Medical Association is actively engaged in efforts to make people aware that Covid has not ended and they must follow all SOPs to check the spread of the virus.

• South Africa Update: In the last 24-48 hours, there have been 1846 new cases and 3 deaths. Active cases are 12,900. Total number of deaths since Covid started is more than 100,000; positivity rate is 8.4% and the recovery rate is 97%. In the last 24 hours, there were 2087 hospital admissions; ICU cases were 169, while 55 were admitted for ventilation. Vaccination is slow; first dose is around 35.6%, fully vaccinated are 30.6%, while boosters are only 4.2%. There is vaccine hesitancy. The positivity rate is a concern. People are not testing anymore and the numbers are under reported. More than 80,000 vaccines have expired earlier this month and more will expire next month, June and July. Citizens have discarded the nonpharmaceutical interventions and if a fifth wave arrives, it is going to be extremely difficult. There have been severe floods in KwaZulu-Natal province.; 350 deaths reported. Water-borne diseases are going to be a huge problem in the affected areas. 

• Japan Update: In Japan, the situation is quite steady now. About 45-70% cases are BA.2. Around 46,000 people are testing positive daily but no severe patients. The country is slowly opening up. Many people prefer to wear mask in public places.
• India Update: In India the cases are slightly on the rise though it’s not a panic situation. New cases were 975 in a single day, while there were 4 deaths. More than one-third cases are from Delhi; 0.52% of active cases are in Delhi. Closing schools is not an option now. The major concern is kids; 27% people hospitalized in Delhi are children. Total active cases in Delhi are 11,300. Most people have stopped wearing masks. There is under reporting as people are not getting themselves tested. Life is normal. Its wait and watch situation right now for the slight increase in cases. If there is a major rise then new guidelines will come from the government.

Participants

Member National Medical Associations

Dr Ravi Naidu, Malaysia

Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa, South Africa

Dr Angelique Coetzee, South Africa

Dr Akhtar Hussain, South Africa

Dr Marie Uzawa Urabe, Japan

Dr Qaiser Sajjad, Pakistan

Invitees

Dr EC Ng

Dr Loo Choo Woon

Dr Yeo Khoon Hui

Dr Blan Lee

Dr Ng Hong Yi

Dr Swee Yong Peng

Dr S Sharma, Editor IJCP Group

Moderator

Mr Saurabh Aggarwal