FOR several days speculation had been rife the enhanced Movement Control Order would be extended when an announcement is made on April 10.
Increasing efforts are underway to ensure the country becomes free of virus for the health and safety of the rakyat, yet the clarion call remains Stay In, Stay Home!
For some reason the government’s pleas seem to be falling on deaf ears based of the number of arrests of those breaching the MCO.
This should not be the case as front liners are still trying hard to break the chain of infection
Yet;
- Many employed Malaysians remain in Singapore, despite partial lockdown as they can only leave the island once they are cleared to do so
- Though more than 6,500 Malaysians have returned from abroad, many remain stranded overseas
- 7,500 in mandatory quarantine at 122 quarantine centres
- The movement of illegal immigrants via the Straits of Melaka and porous borders
Efforts are now underway to establish where foreign workers are housed, including illegal settlements, nationwide as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“We need to find out where they are, and if possible, ensure that they stay put and undergo health screening,” Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said.
Bernama quoted the minister saying these were among measures underway after Singapore authorities detected a new cluster involving a hostel for foreign workers on Kranji Road.
Six other hostels were identified as clusters with two gazetted as isolation areas. The two hostels are S11 Dormitory @ Punggol at Seletar North Link and the Westlite Toh Guan Road East hostel, both of which house a total of 19,800 workers, out which 117 have tested positive.
Authorities here have tightened patrols particularly in locations with the potential to serve as illegal channels for illegal immigrants.
The Home Minister visited Johor on Tuesday and said only 10 percent of Malaysians employed across the Causeway have returned from Singapore, through the Causeway and Second Link
He explained those returning is expected to submit a health clearance certificate from Singapore and examined by out health officers at the border.
They would then be expected to stay in for 14 days.
Until noon Tuesday, there were 170 new positive cases bringing to 3,963 the number of Covid-19 cases reported.
One more brought the death toll to 63, and with 80 recoveries, the number patients recovered and discharged reached 1,321.
In Indonesia, Jakarta remains the hardest hit by the pandemic and will impose a large-scale social restriction, to contain further spread of the virus.
The Covid-19 virus has killed 209 people in Indonesia and infected 2,491 others, with most cases detected in Jakarta.
In Thailand, the government reported 38 confirmed cases and one death, bringing to 2,258 number of confirmed cases and cumulative death toll at 27.
With 31 patients having recovered and discharged, authorities there are recording a downward trend in new infections.
However, a flight ban on all commercial flights into Thailand has been extended to April 18.
In Japan, a state of emergency is expected to be announced soon as number of cases reach 4,000.
There has been an increase in the number of cases with over 150 reported since Monday, and seven deaths.
Initially, Japan appeared to have successfully mitigated the virus’ spread, reporting less than 1,000 active cases as late as March 20.
The figure increased to 3,906 and has resulted in 80 deaths as a result.
