Key Information for Travelers to Malaysia.
Dear Friends of Malaysia,
Malaysia is facing a more challenging task in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic in the third wave with D614G-type mutation, which can be easily infected and transmitted due to clusters in Sabah and Kedah.
Nevertheless, our Health Ministry is more prepared to manage the situation compared to the first two waves. According to our Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, our battle of medical frontline workers in Sabah is now reaching a critical moment as 75 per cent of the daily new cases detected originated from the state in the recent weeks.
The ministry has deployed more healthcare personnel from selected departments and divisions around the country to Sabah to date. Therefore, our current strategy is based on community surveillance as well as contact tracing by finding, testing, isolating and treating all infected persons to break the chain of infection while tightening the control of state and district borders.
Following the rise in COVID-19 cases, the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) will be imposed in Sabah from October 13 to 26 with only essential services including fishery, plantation and agriculture sectors are allowed to operate.
During the period, only two people from each household are allowed to leave their houses to buy necessity items. Wholesale markets, night markets, agro-markets, grocery shops, clinics and pharmacies are allowed to operate within a certain period of time. However, restaurants and food stalls are permitted only for drive-through, deliveries and take-aways.
The government also announced that CMCO will be enforced in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya effective October 14 to 27 following the advice from Health Ministry due to rising number of COVID-19 cases in Klang, Petaling and Gombak as well as other districts.
Hence, interdistrict travelling will be barred during this period with the exception for work purpose as workers will need to show their work pass or consent letter from employers.
Besides, any sports, recreational, social and cultural activities are not permitted while all higher learning institutions, skills training institutes, schools, kindergartens, public and recreational parks will close as well as mosques and non-Muslim houses of worship.
However, all government offices will resume operations with the head of departments can consider allowing some civil servants to use a rotating schedule or working from home.
As of October 13, Malaysia recorded 660 new cases of COVID-19, totalling 16,880 cases nationwide whereas the total recovery rate is at 67.37%. The total deaths are 163 cases or 0.97% of the confirmed cases.
