PUTRAJAYA, Jan 26 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad today urged Malaysians to remain vigilant and take precautions against Covid-19 for Chinese New Year celebrations next month.

He said the standard operating procedure was still to mask up when exhibiting symptoms of illness such as coughing.

"Don’t take it easy. We are no longer in a position to be alarmed, but we need to be careful.

"When you are in places that are congested and crowded, take precautions. When we take precautions, it’s safe for us and everyone else,” he told reporters after his 2024 mandate speech at the Health Ministry here, today.

With the increased travel during the holiday period, the minister said there was a potential for Covid-19 cases to rise.

However, he pointed out that January cases are showing a downward trend.

"Maybe the cases will increase after the Chinese New Year but if you know there are potential infections, take responsibility to avoid being exposed.

"We are still living with the virus; never be complacent, but there is no need to worry too much. We can still carry on with our livelihood,” he said.

Earlier this month, he said the health ministry observed a downturn in Covid-19 cases nationwide.

He said examining various indicators within the heightened alert system, including prevalence, deaths, utilisation of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, and hospital admissions, all indicate a noticeable downward trend.