Coronavirus: Malaysia set for two-week total lockdown; Christian mission cluster at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City outbreak

Only essential services will be allowed to operate during the lockdown, which will last till June 14

Vietnam has officially recorded 6,356 coronavirus cases, including 1,492 imported case and 46 deaths since the pandemic began

6-MIN READ6-MIN

A medical worker conducts a Covid-19 test in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:33am, 28 May 2021Updated: 10:55pm, 28 May 2021

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday announced a nationwide total lockdown from June 1-14 amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths.

Muhyiddin said the lockdown was for all social and economic sectors, and that only essential services will remain in operation.

“With the latest rise in daily cases showing a drastically upward trend, hospital capacity across the country to treat Covid-19 patients are becoming limited,” Muhyiddin said in a statement.

The government will consider aid packages for companies and people affected by the lockdown, he added.

Malaysia has already rolled out over 300 billion ringgit (US$72.60 billion) of stimulus packages since last year to cushion the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

If Malaysia can reduce the number of cases in the first two weeks of the lockdown, the government will allow some sectors to reopen slowly over the course of next four weeks – after which all economic sectors would be allowed to operate, Muhyiddin said.

Malaysia reported 8,290 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its fourth straight day of record infections and bringing the total caseload to 549,514.