Learn from India or prepare for more problems

LETTER: It is heart-breaking to learn about the current situation in India where the number of cases and deaths caused by the Covid-19 virus has skyrocketed. Last Sunday, 3,689 coronavirus deaths were confirmed, with nearly 400,000 new Covid-19 cases reported across India. This is believed to have started in recent months where thousands of people attended the Kumbh Mela religious festival, political demonstrations, lavish weddings, and cricket matches against England. To make matters worse, India's oxygen supply and health facilities are insufficient to accommodate the number of patients admitted. Unfortunately, it was also discovered that the India's 'double mutant' Covid19 strain has been detected in our country. The B.1.617 version was first discovered in India last December, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified it as a "variant of interest" with enhanced transmissibility potential. Making things worse, the present occupancy rate of essential beds in the Sungai Buloh, Kuala Lumpur, Ampang, Serdang, and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang hospitals has surpassed 70 per cent, demonstrating the gravity of the situation. Nonetheless, it is disappointing to see and hear that many Malaysians, including celebrities, do not practise social distancing and hold events without following proper SOP regulations.