KUCHING: An enhanced movement control order (EMCO) will be implemented if the situation in the state’s Covid-19 hotspots get out of control.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) had not ruled out the possibility of a full lockdown order for its most affected areas.
“At this moment of time, we have not yet deliberated on the matter. Even though the justification for a place to be considered a red zone is that it has more than 40 cases, the situation is still under control.
“If it needs to be done or certain areas have been identified for a total lockdown, we will do it,” he told a daily press conference to brief the media on the Covid-19 situation yesterday.
As of this week, both Kuching and Kota Samarahan Divisions have been identified as red zones due to the high number of infection cases there.
EMCO has been implemented in Peninsular Malaysia; a condominium in Kuala Lumpur was put under full lockdown last week along two villages in Johor and an area of tahfiz schools in Hulu Langat.
Karim said the SDMC advised the public to adhere to the MCO and stay at home, adding that it was the best way to control the spread of the virus.
To a question, he confirmed that two deputy chief ministers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan along with several Cabinet members had been ordered to observe a two-week home quarantine after being in contact with a Covid-19 patient.
“We have a strict standard operating procedure (SOP) on the matter; anyone who is in contact with a Covid-19 patient has to self-quarantine. We pray that they are not positive from the virus,” he said.