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Singapore, together the with Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation, contributed 100,000 Panbio Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits to Johor. The official delivery was made earlier today (Aug. 5).

In his Facebook post, Sultan Ibrahim said that the test kits were handed over by Singapore's Consul-General to Johor, Jeevan Singh to Johor's Chief Minister Hasni Mohammad.

Singapore's Consul-General to Johor, Jeevan Singh, said that Singapore is always open to assist Malaysia, especially the state of Johor, in its fight against Covid-19.

"We hope that with this contribution, it will uplift Malaysia's healthcare facility so that we can lead a better life in the future," he said, as quoted by Johor's Royal Press Office.

The Facebook post also added that last June, Johor's department of health received 20,000 ART kits from Singapore's Temasek Foundation.

ART kits can detect Covid-19 within 15 to 20 minutes, compared to a Polymerase Chain Reaction test which typically takes between 48 and 72 hours.

Sultan disappointed, appeals for faster vaccination rate

On Aug. 4, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his disappointment through his Instagram page on the pace of Johor's vaccination rate.

He said that it is "very disappointing when we almost have to appeal for the vaccination rate to be ramped up for the safety of our own people”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJ2DrZBoin/

The post further said that as of Aug. 3, only 12.8 per cent of residents in Johor have been fully vaccinated and 32.3 per cent had their first dose of the vaccine.

Malaysia today recorded its highest Covid-19 daily count with 20,596 cases. Of this, 1,300 cases were recorded in Johor.

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Top image via Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar/Facebook