KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to impose a total lockdown on a few areas, but a smaller perimetre will be controlled this time, authorities said.
Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said only one village might have reported Covid-19 cases in the past, but authorities then imposed the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), which quarantines people at home, on what he described as too large areas spanning a 5 to 6km radius.
“If in Lembah Pantai, the density might be high, so we will see which area needs a lockdown and all,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference today, when asked if an EMCO would be imposed on Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur that has now hit 376 coronavirus cases.
“If we have a lockdown, a total lockdown, people can’t leave their homes and buy things, so MOH will come up with a new SOP (standard operating procedure) on areas that will be fully locked down.”
An EMCO has been imposed on three areas so far — Menara City One on Jalan Munshi Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur; seven villages in Hulu Langat, Selangor; and two villages in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor.
According to MOH, as of noon today, 943 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Selangor, the worst-hit state, including 318 in Hulu Langat. Kuala Lumpur came in second with 622 confirmed coronavirus infections. Hotspots are defined as areas with more than 40 cases.
