KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysia will relax coronavirus lockdowns next week in five states that have met the government’s indicators for lifting curbs, the security minister said on Saturday (July 3).
The South-east Asian country has been under a nationwide lockdown since June 1 to rein in a surge of Covid-19 infections.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said the government will gradually open up the economy and social activities in four phases, based on infection numbers, vaccination rates and the capacity of the healthcare system.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob revealed on Saturday that the states that will be making the transition under the National Recovery Plan are Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, The Star reported.
Under the plan, Covid-19 curbs will be slightly relaxed in the second phase, with more sectors allowed to operate.
His comments came as stricter measures took effect on Saturday in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the neighbouring state of Selangor, which are among Malaysia’s worst-hit regions.
To meet the criteria for phase two, Tan Sri Muhyiddin had said last month that daily new infections must dip below 4,000 cases, and 10 per cent of the population must have been fully inoculated.
Saturday’s 6,658 new cases take Malaysia’s tally of infections to 772,607, while its death toll stands at 5,327.
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