KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 ― The movement control order (MCO) or the conditional movement control order (CMCO) will be re-enforced if Covid-19 local transmission positive cases escalate.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the government has no choice but to enforce the MCO again, as it did during the early stages of the pandemic, to break the chain of Covid-19 infection in the community.

"If it spreads in the community and is not contained, we will face problems and we could go back to the MCO or CMCO.

"Within these two weeks, if there is a sudden increase of cases and emergence of new clusters, we will do contract tracing,” he said during a media engagement session here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said the recent rise of Covid-19 infections in the community was because people had violated the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He said during the enforcement of the MCO, the number of positive cases was high but SOP compliance (by the people) was also high.

Now, he said, the people’s complacency in adhering to the SOP could be because of the low daily positive cases. 

"Malaysians should always be reminded to adhere to the SOPs because its violation will lead to the spread of the infection in the community and we may have to re-enforce the MCO,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said, Malaysians should stay at home so that the Health Ministry (MoH) could conduct field activities to contain the outbreak.

Asked to comment on the gathering by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s supporters at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex yesterday, Dr Noor Hisham while expressing disappointment to see the SOP breached said, MoH would monitor the emergence of positive cases among the supporters within these two weeks.

Commenting on the possible occurrence of a third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr Noor Hisham said his team would have to work harder.

"We have been working hard for seven months to prevent the spread, if it happens (third wave) we will have to work hard for another four months and 25,000 health personnel will be recalled to work for 20 hours a day if cases escalate,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham reminded the public to follow the Aidiladha SOP set by the government in celebrating the festivity this Friday. ― Bernama