Malaysia’s prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, announced Friday the government will extend travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to April 28.
The limits - known as the Movement Control Order – took effect last month to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country and were initially scheduled to end April 14.
But in a televised address, the prime minister said he was extending the restriction to April 28 on the advice of the Malaysian Health Ministry and other medical experts.
He also announced he has instructed police, the army, the Malaysian maritime enforcement agency, immigration department and all other related agencies to tighten security along the nation’s borders.
Parts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, have been cordoned off by security personnel due to high numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
As of Friday, the country reported 4,346 confirmed cases and 70 deaths from the coronavirus. However, it recorded more recoveries than new COVID-19 cases for three days in a row, with 222 patients discharged Friday, bringing the tally of released patients to 1,830 or 42.1 percent of the total.
