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IMR Annual Report 2020 73

The role of the Biomedical Epidemiology Unit is to focus on advanced data analytics in
epidemiological research and infectious disease surveillance. These include forecasting and
modelling of infectious diseases like COVID-19, dengue, tuberculosis and other infectious
diseases. The unit was involved in calculating disease indicators for surveillance purposes, such
as the time-varying reproduction number for the COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia. Epidemiological
research conducted also included multi-variate analysis and spatial-temporal analysis. Training
and consultations are conducted annually by this unit to provide knowledge and understanding
in applied epidemiology for enhancing public health surveillance and outbreak management. The
unit is involved in periodicals for IMR such as the IMR Newsletter and IMR Bulletin.

SRC Research

PRINCIPAL
NO. RESEARCH TITLE NMRR NUMBER INVESTIGATOR (PI)
OR CO-PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR (CO-PI)

D-MOSS (Dengue Mosquito Simulation from Dr Balvinder Singh Gill
1 NMRR-19-4063-50145
Satellites): An Approach to Malaysia (PI)
SEIR models to determine the effectiveness of
2 the Movement Control Order (MCO) during the NMRR-20-953-54856 Dr Sarbhan Singh (SRC) Special Resource Centre
Lakha Singh (PI)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
Assessment of association between smoking
3 NMRR-20-722-52989 Lim Kuang Hock (PI)
and mortality among Malaysian adult population

The Biomedical
Epidemiology Unit team
discussing and presenting
their research findings