Health DG: Still too early to talk about MCO 'exit strategy'

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): The National Security Council (NSC) has yet to determine the country's 'exit strategy' for the current nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO), according to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

"We haven't decided on that (exit strategy) yet, it will be determined by the NSC. But there will be consultations and indications that will be given by the Health Ministry and we will discuss this together [with the NSC].

"So at this point, we have not discussed the exit strategy yet and it is premature for me to reveal what the Ministry proposes," Noor Hisham told reporters during the Ministry’s daily Covid-19 briefing.

Although Malaysia has been seeing a decreasing number of new Covid-19 cases in the past few days, he said there are still about 2,168 active cases in the country, and that it is crucial to bring that figure down first.

“When the number of active cases is fewer, it will be easier for the Ministry to manage the pandemic and turn the focus on the hotspots, as well as high-risk groups.

“If the number of active and infective cases is under control, it means we have managed to control the spread of the virus within the community,” he said.

He also indicated that there are several factors and indicators to be considered before ending the MCO.

Besides a decline in Covid-19 cases, there should also be a decline in influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases. Another factor to consider, he said, is whether there are new Covid-19 clusters detected.

Besides that, Noor Hisham said laboratories across the country must have the capacity to handle daily testing of cases, and that hospitals must also have the capacity to handle patients, so that the Ministry can provide the best treatment.

"Currently, even patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms are warded so that we can monitor their progress. Those with serious conditions like pneumonia are given extra attention.

“At present, we have seen a reduction of cases in intensive care as well as patients requiring ventilators,” he added.

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