BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2020) Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Friday that the movement control order (MCO) has been extended until April 28 to combat the coronavirus epidemic in the country, local media reported.
The restrictive measure was initially adopted on April 1 for 14 days, limiting the movement of citizens across the country.
"Based on the advice of the Health Ministry and medical experts, the government decided to extend the MCO for another two weeks from April 15 to April 28. This extension is to give room for healthcare workers to combat Covid-19 and prevent a re-emergence," the prime minister was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.
Muhyiddin added that schools would remain closed until the epidemiological situation in the country got better and that the Ramadan-related events, celebrations and prayers set to start on April 21 would be banned.
"The move is in line with the view of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which suggested that countries do not end the MCO too early. In some countries, the spread of Covid-19 increased again when the MCO was lifted," the newspaper quoted Muhyiddin as saying.
So far, the health authorities have registered 4,346 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, including 70 fatalities.
