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PETALING JAYA (THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Malaysia reported 865 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Monday (October 19), slightly lower than Sunday’s record of 871.
It was the third consecutive day of more than 800 infections recorded in a single day, and the government reflected on the possibility of imposing a stricter blockade for the state of Selangor.
Selangor along with Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were placed under the conditional movement control order (CMCO) for 14 days since last week (October 14).
Malaysia’s cumulative total of cases on Monday stood at 21,363 cases since the country reported its first Covid-19 cases in January.
The director general of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, said there were three new deaths on Monday to bring the death total to 190. All three deaths were recorded in Sabah.
Most of the new cases continued to come from Sabah, which suffered severe damage, with 643 new infections out of a total of 865, or 74.3 percent of the total.
The current peak in Malaysia has been attributed to the two weeks of campaigning before Sabah’s state elections on September 26, with politicians and activists from across the country freely mingling with Sabahans at political rallies.
Some of these visitors later brought Covid-19 back to their home states.
Selangor recorded 107 cases Monday, or 12.4 percent.
This was followed by the federal territory of Labuan, with 34 cases, and 26 new cases from Penang.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister (security group) Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a separate briefing that the health ministry was asked whether it is necessary to place the entire state of Selangor under the Enhanced MCO (EMCO), to curb more infections. .
The CMCO has meant the closure of most social activities like mass worship, but the government has allowed gyms and public parks to remain open.
Shopping malls, offices and markets have remained open while enforcing what the government calls standard operating procedures (SOPs), such as checking temperatures and supplying hand sanitizers.
But under EMCO, an area would generally be cordoned off, with most economic and social activities shut down and Covid-19 testing of those within the restricted zone.
The government would have to send food parcels to these areas, as residents would be prohibited from leaving their homes even to buy food.
Datuk Seri Ismail raised the issue as cases in Selangor continued to rise and the government came under fire for allowing gyms and public parks to remain open.
Mr Ismail said: “We have asked the ministry to investigate this, to review standard operating procedures and to give the National Security Council its assessment of the situation.
“While there are those who feel that putting these areas under an improved OLS will do the trick in knocking down cases, keep in mind that this means that the economy will have to shut down and food will be sent home.
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