MALAYSIA TO UNDERGO 14 DAYS' TOTAL LOCKDOWN FROM JUNE 1

28 May 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia will undergo its first phase total lockdown for 14 days starting June 1 following a spike in nationwide Covid-19 daily cases.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said all social and economic sectors, except for essential services, will be closed throughout the period.

The announcement came hours after the Covid-19 daily cases update which today reported the highest number ever recorded in Malaysia which is 8,290.

"The decision was made after considering the current Covid-19 situation in Malaysia with daily cases exceeding 8,000 and more than 7,000 active cases to date. So far, a total of 2,552 individuals have succumbed to Covid-19 and the number of deaths continues to increase day by day.

"New variants which continue to emerge more ragingly with high and fast infectivity rates also influenced the decision (to implement total lockdown). With daily cases increasing drastically, hospital capacity throughout the country to treat Covid-19 patients become more limited," the statement read.

According to the statement, the Government will implement a four-week second-phase lockdown after the first phase should the number of daily cases manages to reduce where several economic sectors will be allowed to open

"After that, the third phase lockdown which is the Movement Control Order (MCO) like how it is currently, will be implemented where social activities are not allowed and almost all economic sectors allowed to operate with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) observed.

"However, the decision to switch from a phase to another is subject to risk assessment by the Health Ministry. This assessment will be conducted based on the development of daily cases and the nationwide hospital capacity."