Stay clean, sanitise your house and cars: Health DG

CORONAVIRUS | Members of the public should clean and sanitise their premises and vehicles to better protect themselves from Covid-19, says Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The Health director-general said the duty to ensure personal hygiene falls on the shoulder of each individual as the public cannot depend on someone else to do it for them.

"The virus is already in the community. It can be anywhere. So stay safe and stay at home.

"It can be (lurking) outside your house too. Stay at home, clean and sanitise your house and car," he said when contacted this afternoon.

Malaysiakini reached out to Noor Hisham for confirmation on disinfection activities being carried out at private premises, including at the headquarters of a major news company in Bangsar today.

While saying that he was not informed about the sanitising of the news office, Noor Hisham stressed that the danger of Covid-19 is real and thus the public should practice cleanliness.

He said those who venture outside might not know what they are bringing back home on their shoes or clothing, and they could be carrying the virus home.

"You cannot expect the City Hall or the Housing and Local Government Ministry to clean your home, can you?

"If we do not take care of our own hygiene, then who else can do it?" he added.

As of noon yesterday, the country recorded a total of 43 deaths linked to Covid-19, while total positive cases rose to 2,766.

From these figures, 537 patients have fully recovered while 94 others are still at intensive care units including 60 dependent on ventilators.

The government has imposed a movement control order (MCO) in an attempt to break the chain of infections. It was initially set for two weeks between March 18 and 31, but was extended for 14 days until April 14.

However, authorities enforcing the MCO continue to find members of the public who refused to abide by the order and venture outside without valid reason. As of yesterday, over 3,000 people have been arrested, with 246 of them charged in court for violating the order.

So far, three areas in Johor, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, including a condominium tower, have been put on a total lockdown by the authorities under an enhanced MCO after the Health Ministry recorded a sudden spike in the number of cases there. - Mkini