Malaysia records new high as daily cases exceed 5,000

Malaysia registered another record high for new Covid-19 cases yesterday - more than 5,000 daily infections - even though most of the country is into the third week of a strict partial lockdown.

It recorded 5,725 cases, a massive jump from the previous high of 4,275 cases last Saturday.

Except for Sarawak, the other 12 states and the three federal territories, including Kuala Lumpur, have been under a movement control order (MCO) since Jan 13.

The country's cumulative number of infections passed the 200,000 mark yesterday - there have now been 203,933 cases since officials started tallying the data last January.

The total figure for Malaysia's 32 million population is in sharp contrast with neighbouring Thailand's cumulative figure of 17,023, even though it has a much larger population of about 69 million people.

Indonesia, with a population of 270 million, had the highest cumulative figure in South-east Asia as at yesterday, with 1,051,795 cases.

The Philippines, with a population of 108 million, recorded the second-highest figure, with 521,413 cases.

Malaysia logged another 16 deaths yesterday, bringing the total to 733 deaths. The number of active coronavirus patients in the country stood at 45,478, continuing to strain the healthcare system.

The government has warned that daily cases could reach 8,000 by late March or late May - based on a predictive modelling analysis - unless the rate of infection is slowed.

The sobering figures come less than two weeks before Chinese New Year celebrations on Feb 12 and 13.

The MCO is scheduled to end on Feb 4, with top officials publicly indicating that they are not keen to extend the strict curbs further as they fear deepening the damage to jobs and the economy.

The government yesterday said it is in the midst of tweaking its health protocols, which it calls standard operating procedures (SOPs), for the upcoming celebrations. Reports indicate that the SOPs would include limiting gatherings in a household to 20 people.

Bleeding badly due to the movement restrictions, tourism and trade groups yesterday urged the government to start discussions with Singapore, with a view to allowing vaccinated Singapore residents to enter Malaysia without needing to quarantine.

The government, meanwhile, has continued to attract brickbats for flip-flopping on movement restrictions to reduce infections.

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday that night markets would now be allowed to operate from 4pm to 10pm.

This adds to the other types of businesses that have been allowed to remain open - such as jewellery and skincare shops, as well as those selling electrical appliances and spectacles.

During the first MCO, imposed from March 18 last year for some two months, only supermarkets and pharmacies were allowed to remain open.

Another relaxation was announced yesterday, allowing both state and federal lawmakers to travel across district and state lines despite a nationwide ban on such travel under MCO 2.0.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz has meanwhile given his assurance that Malaysia will not resort to a "total lockdown" even if the country faces a worst-case scenario in terms of infections.

Senior Minister Azmin Ali had previously also said that a total lockdown should be a "last resort" action, and called for economic sectors to be kept open.