COVID-19: Shorter CMCO period if infection curve flattened earlier - Health DG

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said limiting movements from one zone to another, district to district or state to state could be the best way to contain the virus, hence, breaking the chain of infection.

"As long as there is movement, there is exposure and risk to infection. There will be no back to normal, that's why this is a new norm because the virus is already in the community.

"We need to live with the virus and to survive, we need to adapt to this new environment in terms of practices to prevent infection," he said at the press conference on COVID-19 updates at the Ministry of Health, here, today.

He said when Malaysia first started enforcing the MCO on March 18, where all sectors were shut down and only the essential services allowed, it took the country about three months to contain and tackle the virus.

"Therefore, with the experience the government gained from the MCO, it is crucial to balance the economy and livelihoods by allowing the sectors to resume and continue, but with some restrictions," he added.

Asked about the spike in cases in Negeri Sembilan today, Dr Noor Hisham said there were six active clusters identified, with Kaya, Lengkuk, Gedong and Hentian among them.

"So, now we have implemented the Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) in certain areas and conducted swab tests, while public health activities are already in place," he added.

He cited Port Dickson where although there were less than 20 cases involving workers, public health activities were already being held in Mukim Jimah where most of the workers stayed.

He said this was proactive management in terms of looking into the risk, adding that risk management done to allow for public health intervention and precautionary measures.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry's activity for the next couple of months would focus on COVID-19 and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

"If there is a need for us to look into the budget, there will be a mid-term review, so we can seek additional funding from the Finance Ministry," he added.