Health Minister Bans Travelling Beyond 10km For Medical Treatment

Major private hospitals are based in the Klang Valley and Penang.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — Dr Adham Baba has prohibited people from seeking treatment at medical facilities that are located more than 10km from their homes amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The health minister’s regulation gazetted yesterday under the Prevention and Control of Diseases Act 1988 permitted patients to be accompanied by one person when seeking health care or medical services.

The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No 2) Regulations 2020, which will be in effect from today until April 14, also only allowed people to purchase food, daily necessities, medicine, or dietary supplements within 10km from their residence, or from a place nearest to their home.

They are also not allowed to be accompanied by another person, unless “reasonably necessary”.

The regulation requires people to obtain prior written permission from the police station nearest to their residence if they need to move within a state or do inter-state travel for a “special and particular reason”.

Employees who need to move within a state or travel between states to perform their duty in essential services, which include health care, must produce an authorisation letter from their employer if required by the authorities.

Violating these regulations is subject to a maximum fine of RM1,000, jail not exceeding six months, or both.

Unlike general practitioner (GP) clinics that are located throughout Malaysia, major private hospitals are based in the Klang Valley and Penang.

The coronavirus outbreak has infected over 2,900 people in Malaysia and killed 45. The government has imposed a Movement Control Order (MCO) from March 18 to April 14 to curb public movements in a bid to contain the epidemic.

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