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It's time for MCO Phase 2

Mar 31, 2020

The government is going all out to keep the Covid-19 outbreak under control. 

Health Director General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah says this includes actively detecting and isolating new cases, as well as following up on those placed under home quarantine. 

He adds that the Health Ministry is also considering forcing all those returning from overseas to be quarantined in designated centers, if they refuse to comply with the two-week voluntary self-isolation.

Dr Noor Hisham adds that the next 14 days will also be crucial, if the ongoing Movement Control Order is to be successful: 

“The next two weeks is all up to you and me now. If we can all have social discipline, I'm sure we can actually flatten the curve, that is actually to avoid the exponential spike in the number of cases. So if not, the prediction from JP Morgan and MIER is that in the mid April you will have the surge.” 

The number of cases in the country is currently stable, but any sharp increase can only be identified by the first week of April.

This came as the Health Ministry confirmed 156 new infections yesterday, and three additional fatalities. 

It brings the overall death toll in the country to 37. 

Meanwhile, 91 patients were discharged yesterday, which is the highest number of recoveries recorded in a single day so far. 

There will be stricter regulations in place during the second phase of the Movement Control Order. 

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob says starting tomorrow, all those leaving home will have to abide by the ‘one person per car’ ruling, to cut down on the number of people outside. 

He says this is in addition to the shorter operating hours for eateries, markets and petrol stations: 

"All hypermarkets and other places selling basic needs will only operate from 8am-8pm. Restaurants and food outlets open for takeaway will also be available from only 8am-8pm. This goes the same for petrol stations."

Meanwhile, Selangor police say they’ll be increasing the number of road closures in several areas in stages. 

They say this may be inconvenient to residents, but it has to be done to reduce the movement of people during the MCO.