THE number of positive Covid-19 cases may be declining, but Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is not quite ready to signal the end of the war.

Malaysia today reported 54 new infections in the last 24 hours as at 12pm, the lowest number of new cases in a day since the movement control order (MCO) started on March 18.

“We are getting two-digit increments and may even see a single-digit increase soon, but we cannot be complacent and must take all necessary precautionary measures,” he said in his daily press briefing in Putrajaya today.

Dr Noor Hisham was responding to questions on whether the ministry will propose extending the MCO, and whether it had considered the economic impact of the partial lockdown. 

“During the first and second phase of the MCO, essential services were allowed to continue. Under the third phase, we have to see what we can relax that is still within the guidelines. 

“There should still be no mass gatherings, people should still practise social distancing, wash hands, have better cleanliness and sanitise all common areas.

“These are practices that have to be applied even after the MCO,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

He was also asked for the ministry’s standard operating procedures for certain industries to operate during the third phase of the MCO.

He said the ministry will look at priority areas and discuss specific guidelines with the relevant agencies.

On whether the MCO will be extended, he said Malaysia follows the same guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.

“They base their assessments on fatality rate, infectivity and consequences. We also adopt these factors when looking at the MCO.

“Our fatalities are very low compared with others but as for infectivity, this is why we admit all the 2,115 positive cases, even if they are asymptomatic as they are still infectious.”

There are currently 2,115 active cases after accounting for recoveries and deaths from the total number of 5,305 infections as of today.

Malaysia has recorded 88 deaths, or 1.66% of the total number of cases.

Dr Noor Hisham added that it has been around three months since the first Covid-19 case was reported in Malaysia.

Even though the country was recording a drop in the number of new infections, he said people must not take this to mean that they can disregard the MCO, as the pandemic is not yet over. – April 18, 2020.