KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today the first phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has borne fruit.

The Prime Minister said the COVID-19 infection graph has begun to show a downward trend, with 4,949 cases recorded yesterday compared to the highest daily number of 9,020 on May 29.

He also said that the country's health system is still able to accommodate new COVID-19 cases besides having recorded a higher rate of recovery among patients.

"This shows that the action taken by the government has borne fruit. We have avoided a catastrophe," Muhyiddin said when announcing the COVID-19 National Recovery Plan over television.

He said the government is also ready to consider a transition from the first phase to the second phase of the MCO after the average daily number of COVID-19 cases drops to below 4,000.

Muhyiddin said the government will consider a transition from the first phase to the second phase when the average COVID-19 daily cases declines to below 4,000, the public health system is no longer at a critical stage, bed utilisation in ICUs is at a moderate level, and 10 per cent of the population has received two doses of the vaccine.

He said the number of people who have registered for vaccination stands at 13.8 million.

"Our target is to ensure that at least 26 million people in Malaysia are vaccinated by the end of this year in order to achieve herd immunity," he said.

In the meantime, he said, the people must continue to be patient and disciplined.

"Please wear facemasks in public, avoid crowded places, always wash your hands and make sure you are always in a well-ventilated space," he said, adding that the country can emerge out of this crisis once herd immunity is reached.

Muhyiddin also said that he often receives requests for sports activities such as football matches to be allowed with spectators in attendance at stadiums, social gatherings to be allowed to be held, and appeals to visit parents, relatives and loved ones.

"Be patient. At this point of time, we are unable to carry on with these activities. We must prioritise all efforts to break the chain of COVID-19 infections," he said.

Muhyiddin also advised the people to continue to fight, unite and be together in ensuring the success of the National Recovery Plan.

"I promise that the government will continue to help the best we can, and we will not give up in finding ways to get out of this crisis soonest possible.

"We owe it all to Malaysia to fight these threats that this pandemic has caused to our collective future and to usher in a new dream. We must remain steadfast and resolute in our commitment to fight and win this war against COVID-19.

"We must never waiver, and defeat is just simply not an option," he said.

-- BERNAMA