TWO weeks of the stringent movement-control order (MCO) will not be able to bring down the number of Covid-19 cases, said director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. 

He said, with the lockdown, authorities can prevent the cases from spiking if they extend it to four weeks.

“We need the cases down to 1,000 or if we can bring it down to less than 500 then we will be able to treat and accommodate cases at the hospitals. 

“After the MCO we can start the conditional MCO and we expect to flatten the curve in five or six months’ time,” he said in Putrajaya today.

On Monday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin reinstated the MCO in six states from January 13 to 26. 

The MCO is implemented in Penang, Selangor, Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan), Malacca, Johor and Sabah.  

Malaysia today recorded 2,985 new Covid-19 cases, with the bulk of infections coming from Selangor, Sabah and Johor – all states under the new MCO.

Selangor reported the highest new daily cases of 837 followed by Johor with 535 cases and Sabah with 450. 

Noor Hisham said that while the government had imposed a conditional MCO since October 14, it was not enough to curb the spread of the virus. 

“That’s why we implemented the MCO for two weeks or maximum of four weeks.

“We don’t want to drag on the MCO because it will affect the economy. So, if we stay at home for this weeks we will be able to flatten the curve.”

He added that the Health Ministry will look at the data for the next two weeks and see if the number of cases can be brought down. – January 13, 2021.