Amid apathy, health DG appeals to public to stay home

Customers line up at the McDonald’s outlet in Bukit Bintang today, as the government’s movement control order kicks in.

PETALING JAYA: Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has appealed to the public to remain at home and to practise social distancing throughout the two-week movement control order (MCO).

In a Facebook post, he said this would help the health ministry tackle the Covid-19 outbreak, adding that everyone is responsible for their safety and health as well as that of their families.

“We have a small window of opportunity to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

“Failure is not an option here, otherwise we might face a third wave of the virus. The next one will be as big as a tsunami, more so if we have a lackadaisical attitude,” he said.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba announced yesterday that two Covid-19 patients had died as the number of cases rose to 673.

The first death, Case 358, was a 60-year-old pastor in Sarawak whereas the second casualty was a 34-year-old who attended the Sri Petaling mosque tabligh convention late last month.

Noor Hisham’s plea comes amid numerous sightings of people eating at coffee shops in defiance of the MCO which came into effect today.

In Kuala Langat, council officers were forced to disperse traders at an outdoor market, saying police reports would be lodged if they continued defying the directive. - FMT