Description of the COVID-19 epidemiology in Malaysia.

Introduction: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it has spread rapidly across the world and has resulted in recurrent outbreaks. This study aims to describe the COVID-19 epidemiology in terms of COVID-19 cases, deaths, ICU admissions, ventilator requirements, testing, incidence rate, death rate, case fatality rate (CFR) and test positivity rate for each outbreak from the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 till endemicity of COVID-19 in 2022 in Malaysia.

Methods: Data was sourced from the GitHub repository and the Ministry of Health's official COVID-19 website.

Introduction of mosquitoes carrying AlbB sharply decreases dengue incidence in disease hotspots.

Partial replacement of resident mosquitoes with introduced mosquitoes carrying certain strains of inherited symbionts can result in transmission blocking of dengue and other viruses of public health importance. strain AlbB is an effective transmission blocker and stable at high temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot tropical climates. Following trial field releases in Malaysia, releases using AlbB have become operationalized by the Malaysian health authorities.

Colorectal cancer survival among Malaysia population: data from the Malaysian National Cancer Registry.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Malaysia and poses a major burden on society.

Aims: To determine the overall survival rate of patients diagnosed with CRC and factors contributing to survival.

Forecasting the effects of vaccination on the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia using SEIRV compartmental models.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered-vaccinated (SEIRV) models to examine the effects of vaccination on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case trends in Malaysia during Phase 3 of the National COVID-19 Immunization Program amidst the Delta outbreak.

Methods: SEIRV models were developed and validated using COVID-19 case and vaccination data from the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, from June 21, 2021 to July 21, 2021 to generate forecasts of COVID-19 cases from July 22, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Three scenarios were examined to measure the effects of vaccination on COVID-19 case trends.

Body mass index and waist circumference trajectories across the life course and birth cohorts, 1996-2015 Malaysia: sex and ethnicity matter.

Objective: The global obesity epidemic remains a significant threat to public health and the economy. Age-period-cohort (APC) analysis is one method to model the trajectory of obesity. However, there is scarce published evidence of such analyses among the South East Asian population.

Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Persistence of -Infected in the Mentari Court, Malaysia.

Dengue is endemic in Malaysia, and vector control strategies are vital to reduce dengue transmission. The strain AlbB carried by both sexes of was released in Mentari Court, a high-rise residential site, in October 2017 and stopped after 20 weeks. frequencies are still being monitored at multiple traps across this site, providing an opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal distribution of and mosquito density with respect to year, residential block, and floor, using spatial interpolation in ArcGIS, GLMs, and contingency analyses.

Nondrug Intervention for Opportunistic Infections in Individuals With Hematological Malignancy: Systematic Review.

Background: Hematological malignancies disturb the blood, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. Taking medications for treating opportunistic infections (OIs) in these individuals may enhance the risk of medication interaction as well as adverse drug reactions.

Objective: This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nondrug interventions in reducing OIs among patients with hematological cancers.

Age, Period, and Cohort Analysis of Smoking Intensity Among Current Smokers in Malaysia, 1996-2015.

Introduction: Tobacco use is one of the major preventable risk factors for premature death and disability worldwide. Understanding the trend of tobacco use over time is important for informed policy making.

Aims And Methods: The present study aimed to examine the changes in mean daily cigarette consumption among random samples of the Malaysian current smoker population over 20 years using an age-period-cohort (APC) approach.

Evaluating Cataract Surgical Rate through Smart Partnership between Ministry of Health, Malaysia and Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council.

Introduction: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness. About 90% of cataract blindness occurs in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of blindness and low vision in any country depends on the socioeconomic status, the availability of medical and healthcare facilities, and the literacy of the population.

Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity from Mothers to Their Offspring: Trends and Associated Factors Derived from the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS).

Along with the increasing overweight and obesity trends among adults and children globally, numerous studies have suggested a strong association between maternal overweight and obesity among their offspring. We sought to report the prevalence and associated factors of intergenerational overweight and obesity among mother-child pairs in Malaysia from 2006 to 2015. Data were analysed from three waves of the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in 2006, 2011 and 2015.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Among Healthcare Workers in Asia and Africa and Its Association With Their Knowledge and Awareness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a blood-borne virus that can be transmitted by percutaneous and mucocutaneous contact with infected bodily fluid. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are more exposed to HBV infection. They must have a thorough understanding of HBV infection since they can contract and spread the virus.

A 10-Year Impact Evaluation of the Universal Salt Iodization (USI) Intervention in Sarawak, Malaysia, 2008-2018.

A universal salt iodization (USI) was introduced in Sarawak, Malaysia in 2008 to control the iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) among its population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the USI among school children in Sarawak after 10 years of implementation. The data were extracted from 2008 and 2018 Sarawak state-wide IDD surveys.

COVID-19 in Malaysia: Descriptive Epidemiologic Characteristics of the First Wave.

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of COVID-19 cases and close contacts during the first wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia (23 January 2020 to 26 February 2020), and to analyse the reasons why the outbreak did not continue to spread and lessons that can be learnt from this experience. Characteristics of the cases and close contacts, spatial spread, epidemiological link, and timeline of the cases were examined. An extended SEIR model was developed using several parameters such as the average number of contacts per day per case, the proportion of close contact traced per day and the mean daily rate at which infectious cases are isolated to determine the basic reproduction number (R) and trajectory of cases.

Forecasting COVID-19 Case Trends Using SARIMA Models during the Third Wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia.

With many countries experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, it is important to forecast disease trends to enable effective planning and implementation of control measures. This study aims to develop Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models using 593 data points and smoothened case and covariate time-series data to generate a 28-day forecast of COVID-19 case trends during the third wave in Malaysia. SARIMA models were developed using COVID-19 case data sourced from the Ministry of Health Malaysia's official website.

The effects of super spreading events and movement control measures on the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

This paper aims to develop an automated web application to generate validated daily effective reproduction numbers (Rt) which can be used to examine the effects of super-spreading events due to mass gatherings and the effectiveness of the various Movement Control Order (MCO) stringency levels on the outbreak progression of COVID-19 in Malaysia. The effective reproduction number, Rt, was estimated by adopting and modifying an Rt estimation algorithm using a validated distribution mean of 3.96 and standard deviation of 4.

Effectiveness of the movement control measures during the third wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia.

Objectives: Starting in March 2020, movement control measures were instituted across several phases in Malaysia to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study, we developed a susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) model to examine the effects of the various phases of movement control measures on disease transmissibility and the trend of cases during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Methods: Three SEIR models were developed using the R programming software ODIN interface based on COVID-19 case data from September 1, 2020, to March 29, 2021.

Is socio-demographic status, body mass index, and consumption of food away from home associated with high sodium intake among adults in Malaysia?: findings from the Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS).

Background: Studies have shown that having away from home meals contributes to high sodium intake among young people and those who lived in urban areas. This study aimed to determine the association between dietary sodium intake, body mass index, and away from home meal consumption behaviour among Malaysian adults.

Methods: MyCoSS was a cross-sectional household survey involving 1440 adults age 18 years and above.

High sodium food consumption pattern among Malaysian population.

Background: Sodium is an essential mineral needed by the human body that must be obtained from food. An excess intake, however, can lead to many diseases. As food is the main source of sodium, this study aims to provide information on high sodium food consumption patterns in the Malaysian adult population.

Development and double cross-validation of new spot urine sodium equation to predict 24-h urine sodium in the Malaysian population.

Background: Monitoring sodium intake through 24-h urine collection sample is recommended, but the implementation of this method can be difficult. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an equation using spot urine concentration to predict 24-h sodium excretion in the Malaysian population.

Methods: This was a Malaysian Community Salt Study (MyCoSS) sub-study, which was conducted from October 2017 to March 2018.

Risk factors related with high sodium intake among Malaysian adults: findings from the Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS) 2017-2018.

Background: High sodium intake was an established risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with high sodium intake based on 24-h urinary sodium excretion from the MyCoSS study.

Methods: The cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults aged 18 years and above in Malaysia.

Salt intake was higher among males and those with high BMI and waist circumference: introduction to the Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS), a population-based salt intake survey in Malaysia.

Background: Recognising that excessive dietary salt intake is associated with high blood pressure and adverse cardiovascular health, the Ministry of Health Malaysia conducted the Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS) among Malaysian adults. This paper introduced MyCoSS projects and presented findings on the salt intake of the Malaysian adult population.

Methods: MyCoSS was a nationally representative survey, designed to provide valuable data on dietary salt intake, sources of salt in the diet, and knowledge, perception, and practice about salt among Malaysian adults.

Pregnant Women Are Iodine Deficient While School-Aged Children Demonstrate Adequate Iodine Status in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Background: A mandatory universal salt iodization (USI) has been implemented in Sarawak, Malaysia since 2008.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the current iodine status among school-aged children (SAC) and pregnant women (PW) after 10 years of USI implementation in Sarawak.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey among school-aged children and pregnant women was conducted between July and October 2018 in Sarawak.

COVID-19 screening test by using random oropharyngeal saliva.

An optimal clinical specimen for accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by minimizing the usage of consumables and reduce hazard exposure to healthcare workers is an urgent priority. The diagnostic performance of SARS-CoV-2 detection between healthcare worker-collected nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP + OP) swabs and patient performed self-collected random saliva was assessed. Paired NP + OP swabs and random saliva were collected and processed within 48 h of specimen collection from two cohort studies which recruited 562 asymptomatic adult candidates.