PETALING JAYA: The lockdown imposed has managed to avert a catastrophe, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

       The Health director-general told Astro Awani that the country was facing the possibility of 13,000 Covid-19 cases per day in mid-June and the number could have skyrocketed to 40,000 a few weeks later.

       "We managed to flatten the curve of infections but a lot still needs to be done to further reduce the number of cases.

       "As long as there is movement and gatherings of people in some sectors, we will remain at the stage we are at the moment.

       "If others are stubborn, we can bring about change personally by controlling our own movements, saving ourselves and our family," he said.

       He said this was more important as the Beta and Delta variants of the virus have a higher infection and death rate.

       "We are in the midst of a war and saving our country has to be a priority. If not, we can face the same fate as India," he said.