Bangkok, June 28, (dpa/GNA) – Malaysia’s government said on Sunday that a third coronavirus lockdown would be maintained until 10 per cent of the country’s population had received two vaccine doses and case numbers dropped below 4,000 a day.
“The graph on daily Covid-19 positive cases shows a horizontal trend,” Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, adding that the number of people in intensive care units would also have to fall before the restrictions, which were due to end on Monday, could be relaxed.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the lockdown extension could run until “the middle of July or so,” according to state news agency Bernama.
The measures, which the government had earlier labelled a “total lockdown,” were imposed after Malaysia’s virus-related deaths and case numbers soared last month.
Malaysia’s Health Ministry on Sunday said 60 more virus-related deaths were recorded over the previous 24 hours, with over 5,500 more cases reported.
By Saturday 6.2 per cent of the population of almost 33 million people had received two vaccine doses, the ministry said.
Muhyiddin said that financial aid for businesses that have been hit hard by the restrictions would be announced this week.
The government last week announced it would crack down on factories deemed in breach of the curbs, which limit those businesses allowed to operate to having 60 per cent of workers on-site at one time.
GNA