Two villages in Malaysia's Perlis state under lockdown for 28 days as Covid-19 cases surge

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KANGAR - The state government of northern Perlis state has put two villages on strict lockdown for 28 days following a surge in new coronavirus cases.

The villages of Kampung Kuala Sanglang and Kampung Tanah Timbul in Sanglang district in the tiny state on the Thai border have been placed under the targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (MCO) from Saturday (Aug 8), Bernama news agency reported.

The Enhanced MCO will be lifted on Sept 4 if the number of cases trended down.

In the meantime, roads into the villages have been blocked, with only the heads of households allowed to leave the area to buy necessities.

"Members of the public who are outside the affected area are not allowed to enter, except those who are involved in providing essential services," a statement from the Perlis government state, according to Bernama.

Perlis earlier this week reported 10 cases linked to what is called the Sivagangga cluster which spread from Kedah.

There was also one case in Penang of the Sivagangga case, which was named after a village in India. A Malaysian who returned to the country from that village had brought the Covid-19 virus back, according to health authorities.

The Health Ministry's director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Friday (Aug 7) that there have been a total of 25 new infections linked to the Sivagangga cluster that started in Napoh, Kedah.

In imposing Enhanced MCO in areas in Kuala Lumpur and other states previously, health officials visited each household unit to test everyone, who would then be told to stay indoors.

Welfare officers would bring in food and other necessities into the area that are blocked by police and army personnel.

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