The Johor state government yesterday (1 May) confirmed three new imported COVID-19 cases by Malaysian citizens who returned from Singapore.
Malay Mail reported Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan as saying that the three cases tested positive with the virus while serving their mandatory isolation in one of the state’s quarantine stations.
The three cases have brought the total number of confirmed cases in Johor to 663 as of Friday.
Vidyananthan said that no deaths due to the virus were recorded yesterday. Currently, the cumulative COVID-19 death toll in Johor is 18.
He added that 382 cases recorded in the state have recovered as of Friday.
“I would also like to note that the average percentage of compliance with the movement control order (MCO) is maintained at 97 per cent,” said Vidyananthan.
Separately, Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in his daily COVID-19 media briefing yesterday announced 69 new cases in the whole of Malaysia.
12 of the new cases are imported, while 57 were locally transmitted.
As of Friday, the current total of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 6,071.
4,210 cases have recovered, while 103 have died to date.
Nationwide MCO to be relaxed further as nearly all economic sectors and business activities allowed to resume operations
In a televised address yesterday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the central government will permit almost all economic sectors and business activities to resume their operations starting Monday (4 May), subject to strict standard operating procedures (SOP).
The decision, he said, was made based on the Health Ministry’s data-backed advice and the World Heallth Organisation’s recommendations.
“I had a long discussion during the Economic Action Council, National Security Council and Ministerial Meetings to look into ways for the country to strike a balance between restoring the economy and containing the Covid-19 outbreak.
“However, several categories that require large gatherings and physical contact, where social distancing could not be controlled, will not be allowed to operate,” said Muhyiddin.
Such businesses are cinemas, karaoke outlets, reflexology centres, entertainment outlets, night clubs, theme parks, Ramadan bazaar, Aidilfitri bazaar, sales carnivals and all forms of conferences and exhibitions.
“Enhanced MCO will also be enforced at locations which recorded high number of cases. These areas are mostly in the red zone,” he added.
Many members of the public, however, are wary of the relaxation of the MCO measures, warning that the sudden easing of measures may undo the work of frontline workers and the people throughout the first three phases of the order.
Really clown government, wasted frontliner’s sacrifices n people’s effort of being lockdown. Almost 100 cases today n u guys want to reopen on Monday. Every decision being turned around after announcement. Like playing masak2 #PKPB #malaysiacovid19 #PerintahKawalanPergerakan
— Ji?Raw® (@loveisjiyeon) May 1, 2020
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Even when it comes to surgery, it’s life before limb. But in Malaysia it’s economy first, lives second.
As if our country was doing well economy wise before all the chaos. Tuih.
Disappointing. #PKPB
— Jagdish (@mantranz11) May 1, 2020
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IMO, PKPB is nt at all a gud idea. Yes, I agree tht our economy is going down. Bt lives are more imp thn economy. We can nvr earn economy by trading our lives. There are still red zones in our country. Msian gov shld come up wt better idea to stabilise our economy. Nt PKPB.#PKPB
— மணிபாரதி முனியாண்டி (@Manibharatheee) May 1, 2020
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Like antibiotics. We’re supposed to finish the course on May the 12th, but we decide to stop taking them on May the 4th ’cause we “feel better” and need money to buy some more.
That’s how I feel about #PKPB.
— DeLL Ben ?? (@dellben86) May 2, 2020
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However, a number of other Twitter users appear to welcome the upcoming lifting of restriction on most economic sectors, as it will provide much needed financial relief to those struggling to pay for basic monthly commitments such as bills and rent.
Its dangerous but by allowing few businesses to open, it will help the economy to spike up. Probably positive cases akan bertambah,i believe the gov is now confident that our KKM is stronger than ever to deal with any issue facing this PKPB. Dengan syarat kita disiplin follow sop
— Aniradnan ? (@iraadnan_) May 1, 2020
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While many is worried abt breaking the barrier with #PKPB, yet we forgot some of us (including me) rely on daily salary and we hv been literally meminta sedekah di sana sini so we can pay not just meals, but bills and rent. Follow rules of 3W and we’ll be good insyallah
— Rida Kesana Kesini Dalam Rumah (@livinlaridaloca) May 1, 2020
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