Coronavirus: Malaysia records biggest daily jump of 190 cases
Most were related to religious event about 90 S'poreans took part in
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia saw its biggest daily jump in new infections yesterday as 190 coronavirus cases were recorded.
This brings the total number of cases in the country to 428, said the Health Ministry.
Health Minister Adham Baba said most of the new cases were related to the religious event in Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling in Selangor, held from Feb 27 to March 1. There are now 243 cases linked to the event.
It was attended by more than 10,000 people, around 90 of whom were from Singapore.
Dr Adham said the ministry was still tracing those who took part in the programme.
"We urge those who participated in the programme to contact the nearest district health office for further instructions," he said in a statement.
He said the participants needed to be monitored for 14 days from the end of the programme or the last close contact they had with those diagnosed with Covid-19.
Dr Adham said that of the 428 cases in the country, nine are in the intensive care unit (ICU) and need respiratory assistance.
Indonesia reported yesterday that the number of infections had risen by 21 to 117. Five people with the virus have died there.
Infections have spread outside Greater Jakarta to Bandung in West Java, Solo or Surakarta in Central Java, Manado in North Sulawesi, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, and holiday havens Yogyakarta and Bali, the authorities said.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said schools would close for two weeks starting today and ordered the closure of city-owned tourist attractions.
He said Jakarta would not be locked down but urged people "to be responsible" and called for social distancing.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said yesterday he would get tested for coronavirus, while some of his ministers had also undergone precautionary tests after Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi tested positive.
In the Philippines, there were three more deaths and 29 new cases, bringing the domestic tally of infections to 140, as the authorities placed all of Manila under "community quarantine" for about a month beginning yesterday.
In all, 11 people have died from the virus there, according to the health department.
Domestic land, sea and air travel to and from Metro Manila is now restricted.
Major shopping malls in Metro Manila have heeded the authorities' call for a temporary partial closure to discourage people from leaving their homes, while a night-time curfew from 8pm to 5am will begin today.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, bookstores and hardware stores will be kept open, while restaurants may also operate but only for home deliveries, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said. - THE STAR, AFP, REUTERS
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