KUALA LUMPUR: Birthday wishes have been pouring in on social media for Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pix), with prayers that he will stay strong and persistent in the fight against Covid-19 in the country.

Dr Noor Hisham turns 58 today.

A look at his Facebook page found various messages from the netizens expressing their support for him, with some even admitting that they missed watching him on television every afternoon when he would update the nation on the daily Covid-19 situation.

“Happy Birthday Tan Sri! Wish you good health, happiness, and success in all your endeavours,” Megha Sivaram wrote.

A message from Mohd Adzlan Omar read: “Happy birthday (Tan Sri) Dato’, may Allah bless you and your team who have always been on the front line in this war.”

“Happy birthday Tan Sri. May you be blessed with good health to continue serving the country. Aamiin,” another netizen named Zahriah Mohd Shariff wrote.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Dr Noor Hisham said that on his birthday today he wished that Malaysians will continue staying united to fight the pandemic.

“Alhamdulilah and thank you (for all the wishes). Coming together will make us stronger to fight against Covid-19,” he said.

The last time Dr Noor Hisham appeared on television for his daily press conference on the Covid-19 situation was on March 4.

Since then, daily updates on the pandemic in the country were shared with the nation through press statements, tweets or Facebook posts.

Last year, media practitioners managed to spring a surprise on his birthday by giving him a special cake soon after he ended his daily press conference at the Ministry of Health in Putrajaya. -Bernama