The first one of $4.6 billion (RM 20 billion), launched by interim prime minister Mahathir on Feb 27 to cushion the blow of Covid-19, focuses on tourism and other industries, including nationwide electricity discounts of 2 percent for industrial, commercial, and domestic users, as well as a monetary assistance scheme for employees.

Economic stimulus: Three economic stimulus packages have been unveiled.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob also advised that Malay workers in Singapore remain in the city-nation until the end of the MCO. However, local leaders in Johor have asked that the central government revise the entry process and has urged returning migrant workers to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Malay workers in Singapore returning to Malaysia have to undergo a swab test in Singapore and show a test certificate upon arrival without having to quarantine.

Violators face penalties up to $229 and up to six months of imprisonment. Beginning on April 1, any travel to buy food, daily necessities, and medicine (list of essentials reduced to 10 items) has been restricted to 10 kilometers from a person's residence. The Malaysian Armed Forces, using personnel and drones, have been mobilized for detection and enforcement, and hundreds of people have been arrested for violating restrictions on movement.

Non-essential businesses, schools, and places of worship are closed, and religious, sports, and cultural gatherings are prohibited.

Ramandan bazaars will be closed, and there will be no public prayers in mosques. Quarantine or lockdown: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin enacted a 14-day “Movement Control Order (MCO)” on March 18, which was extended until April 14 and then later until April 28-a few days after the start of Ramadan.Border closures and entry bans: Malaysia shut its borders to travelers on March 16, banning all visitors and barring residents from travel overseas.Following initial nonchalance in responding to the outbreak, complicated by an abrupt change in government, Malaysia closed its borders and shut down non-essential businesses, schools, and religious services in mid-March and is using the armed forces to enforce a partial lockdown while it ramps up testing and contract tracing. Malaysia’s confirmed Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly and lead the region in terms of reported cases. As Coronavirus cases rise each day, stay updated with NDTV dashboard to know about the number of cases and deaths reported in the country and across the globe.National Responses to COVID-19 in Southeast Asia It also recommends to avoid touching your face, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands. It further suggests social distancing as a preventive measure, keeping at least 1.8 metre or six feet between yourself and others. In order to protect yourself from COVID-19, the WHO recommends basic hygiene such as regularly washing hands with soap and water, and covering your mouth with your elbow when sneezing or coughing. As per the WHO, some infected patients may not display any symptoms despite having the virus in their systems. The development period of COVID-19 is thought to be between one to 14 days however, the virus is highly contagious before symptoms appear. The novel coronavirus affects humans, has been named COVID-19 and is known to have originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019.Ĭommon symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing and difficulty in breathing, while in severe cases, it can cause pneumonia, multiple organ failure and death. Several coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans, according to WHO.Ĭoronavirus causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

The coronavirus family circulates in animals and some can be transmitted between animals and humans. WHO declared the virus a global pandemic on March 11, expressing their concern on the alarming levels of spread and severity of the outbreak. Globally, there are 67,69,14,137 confirmed COVID-19 cases across 200 counties, which has led to 68,83,085 deaths, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). Of these cases, 531915 people have succumbed to the infection while 44461565 have recovered. As of Jul 17 2023, India has 44994921 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

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