KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded 2,985 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the health ministry said, bringing the national total to 144,518.
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press briefing that two of the new cases were imported and the 2,983 others were local transmissions.
Another four new deaths have been reported from the coronavirus epidemic, raising the total death toll to 563.
Another 994 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries to 111,578 or 77.2 percent of the total cases.
Of the remaining 32,377 active cases, 197 are being held in intensive care units with 79 of them in need of assisted breathing.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who coordinates the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions in the country, said in a statement that the movement control order to be implemented from Jan. 13-26 has taken effect.
"In line with the implementation of the order, the public is advised to always take care of personal safety, adhere to standard operating procedures (SOP), always practice self-control and follow the instructions issued by the authorities," he said.
The areas to impose tightened measures include the capital Kuala Lumpur, the states of Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor and the northern Borneo state of Sabah, among others.
Under the stricter restrictions, all social events involving mass gathering are banned, residents only allowed to travel within a radius of 10 kilometers, and no dine-in for restaurants. Enditem