KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) will consider suggesting a stricter lockdown for Selangor if it fails to curb Covid-19 outbreaks, Dr Adham Baba said today.
The health minister, during a virtual joint press conference with Vaccine Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the national Covid-19 vaccine rollout, said the current Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented in Selangor to allow MOH to conduct more tests, and to detect and treat Covid-19 cases early.
“With this MCO, it allows MOH to conduct more tests, more isolation as well as treatment for positive cases along with the collaboration with the state government to carry out RTK-Ag tests in areas with high epidemiological link and for accurate contact tracing,” Dr Adham said.
“However, I agree that we have to suggest to the government for a stricter standard operating procedure (SOP) and MCO if there’s inability to curb (the outbreak). Then our proposal to implement a full MCO is one thing to consider.”
Earlier today, CodeBlue reported doctors from the Klang Valley saying that Covid-19 beds and intensive care unit (ICU) beds are full and that most Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital are severely ill and rapidly deteriorating.
Between May 9 and May 15, Selangor reported 10,396 positive cases, translating to 35.4 per cent of the total cases reported nationwide last week, as well as 64 deaths that comprise 30.6 per cent of total deaths reported nationwide last week.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases, however, depends on testing. Selangor may be reporting the highest number of infections due to the state’s active surveillance programme with quick RTK-AG testing.
Today, MOH reported 4,446 confirmed Covid-19 cases nationwide, including 1,650 in Selangor, the highest in the country.
