Several more business sectors allowed to operate are night markets, barber shops or salons and carwash centres

by HARIZAH KAMEL / Pic by TMR FILEPIX

MALAYSIA now has 48,771 active Covid-19 cases after recording 4,571 new cases yesterday, of which 4,568 were local transmissions and three imported. This also brings the country’s cumulative cases to 231,483.

Among the active cases, 308 were placed in intensive care units, with 135 of them requiring respiratory aid.

Meanwhile, 4,092 patients were discharged, increasing the total recovered cases in the country to 181,886.

The death tally, however, rose to 826 with another double-digit record yesterday at 17 new deaths, of which 15 involved citizens and two non-citizen cases.

“The fatalities involved four cases from Selangor, three cases each from Sabah and Sarawak, two cases each in Johor and Pahang, and one case each in Kelantan, Melaka and Negri Sembilan,” he said in a statement.

Selangor continued to report the highest new daily cases at 2,056, followed by Johor with 664 cases and Kuala Lumpur (481).

A total of 237 cases were related to lock-in clusters, immigration detention depots and prisons.

The Health Ministry (MoH) also identified 10 new clusters, where six are workplace-related and four from communities.

These clusters are known as the Jalan Industri Rawang, Jalan Gombak, Jalan Jasmine, Parit Penyengat, Jalan Pengiran, Permata Satu, Kampung Lukut, Jalan Jelutong, Kampung Pulau Jawa and Rantau Tanjung clusters.

Separately, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that several more business sectors, especially those involving micro-businesses are allowed to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO) under strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Those businesses that are allowed to open from today are night markets, barber shops or salons and carwash centres.

“Night markets are allowed to operate from 4pm to 10pm, but they must comply with strict SOPs, such as physical distancing and RELA (People’s Volunteer Corps) supervision.

“Barber shops and carwash centres are allowed to operate until 10pm. Barbershops are subjected to strict SOPs with only haircuts allowed, not facials and other services,” he said in his briefing yesterday.

For Chinese New Year celebration, Ismail Sabri listed several SOPs, namely celebrations and reunion dinners are only allowed in the house with family members from the same house and no prayer ceremonies in the temple.

He added that performances such as lion dance, dragon dance and opera performances, as well as pilgrimage activities and cross-district and cross-state activities are not allowed.

However, for Sarawak, it is up to the state government to make the decisions.

The minister also revealed that the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has presented proposals and SOPs for the relaxation of the sports and recreation sector, especially involving outdoor sports activities and gyms in the neighbourhood, as well as activities that do not involve physical contact and without the presence of the public.

The SOPs for athletes’ training in quarantine-based approach, as well as for high-impact sports industry championships such as football, hockey and sepak takraw have also been presented by KBS according to the sports bubble model.

He said the government will examine and consider the matter on the advice of MoH based on the latest data before announcing any decision.

On another note, the Enhanced MCO at the Detention Block and Quarters of Pekan Nenas Immigration Depot in Pontian, Johor, ended yesterday earlier than scheduled.

Meanwhile, 731 individuals were arrested for violating the MCO, of which, 709 were compounded, 19 individuals remanded while three on bail.

Among the highest offences included failure to maintain physical distancing (207) and not wearing face masks (157).