PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia on Monday (Oct 19) reported 865 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, slightly lower than the record-high 871 logged on Sunday.
It was the third consecutive day of above-800 infections recorded in a single day, with the government mulling whether to impose a stricter lockdown for the state of Selangor.
Selangor along with Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were placed under the conditional movement control order (CMCO) for 14 days from last week (Oct 14).
Malaysia's cumulative total of cases on Monday stood at 21,363 cases since the country reported its first Covid-19 cases in January.
The Health Ministry's director-general, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said there were three new deaths on Monday to bring total fatalities to 190. The three deaths were all recorded in Sabah.
The bulk of the new cases continued to come from hard-hit Sabah, with 643 new infections out of the total 865 - or 74.3 per cent of the total.
The current spike in the Malaysia has been blamed on the two weeks of campaigning ahead of the Sept 26 Sabah state elections, with politicians and campaigners from all over the country mingling freely with Sabahans at politicial rallies.
Some of these visitors later brought Covid-19 to their home states.
Selangor on Monday logged 107 cases, or 12.4 per cent.
This was followed by the federal territory of Labuan, with 34 cases, and Penang's 26 new cases.
Meanwhile, Senior Minister (Security cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a separate briefing that the health ministry has been asked whether there is a need to place the whole state of Selangor under the enhanced MCO (EMCO), to curb further infections.
The CMCO has meant the shutdown of most social activities such as mass worship, but the government has allowed gyms and public parks to remain open.
Malls, offices and markets have remained open while imposing what the government calls standard operating procedures (SOPs) such as the checking of temperatures and providing hand sanitisers.
But under the EMCO, an area would be generally cordoned off, with the shutdown of most economic and social activities, and the testing for Covid-19 of those inside the restricted zone.
Packets of food would need to be sent into these areas by the government, as residents would be banned from leaving their homes even to buy food.
Datuk Seri Ismail raised the issue as cases in Selangor continued to climb and the government receiving flak for allowing gyms and public parks to remain open.
Said Mr Ismail: "We have asked the ministry to look into this, to review the SOPs and give the National Security Council its assessment on the situation.
"While there are those who feel that placing these areas under enhanced MCO will do the trick to bring down the cases, bear in mind that this means the economy will have to be shut down and food will be sent over to the houses."
