Experts Say Nation At A Critical Juncture | HOSPITAL SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH (HSAAS) UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
» ARTIKEL » Experts say nation at a critical juncture

Experts say nation at a critical juncture

**This article was published in English and has no translation in Bahasa Melayu** 
**This article was published in nst.com.my on 03 October 2020.**

By Tharanya Arumugam - October 3, 2020 @ 9:53am
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has flattened the Covid-19 infection curve before, but it has now taken another chilling turn as the country reported a record high of 287 daily new cases yesterday.

Most cases were reported in Kedah (129 cases), Sabah (113) and Selangor (31). There are also new cases in Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Labuan, Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang.

Malaysian Public Health Physicians' Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the new clusters in Selangor and daily cases detected in Sabah and Kedah were worrying as they could lead to larger community infections if not immediately controlled and prevented.

"This (287 cases) is the highest number of cases to date. Returnees from Sabah are a significant contributor to this situation. New clusters and cases are rising nationwide, with new cases emerging from index cases. The number of patients admitted to hospitals and Intensive Care Units are also increasing.

"We are in a critical position. This is just the beginning. We, the government and the public, have to be prepared to brave a peak in cases and clusters in the next two to four weeks."

He said this was due to free movement and interaction among the community with people from high-risk areas before the Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) was imposed in those areas.

Besides that, he said, the public's apathy towards the standard operating procedures (SOP) and other safety measures, including physical distancing, practising basic hygiene and wearing face masks, led to the spike.

Dr Zainal said curbing the new Covid-19 infections should be the priority now.

"This is not an easy task. We need extra efforts and resources with total community involvement and strict enforcement. Only then we can go for flattening the curve."

He called on the public to practise self-quarantine if they had returned from high-risk areas, stay home, not hold or attend public events and for the authorities to conduct strict monitoring and enforcement of SOP at mosques, schools, malls and crowded places.

"The government must revise its approach and be ready to combat Covid-19 within these two weeks. For parents (in the high-risk areas), if they are unsure (of the measures taken by schools or daycare centres), it is best to abstain from sending their children."

On the Inter-district MCO in Sabah, he said this would help curb the spread in the state, but it would not be able to significantly reduce cases in the peninsula.

"It is a bit too late. The cases are in all states. The government must implement more stringent measures, including banning interstate travel, impose compulsory quarantine, limit the time of operations and public events, and return to working from home."

Public health physician Associate Professor Dr Rosliza Abdul Manaf from Universiti Putra Malaysia's Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty said while Kedah had recorded a high number of cases, it was not "too worrying" as they were contained among the prison community.

"What's worrying are new cases in Selangor because new clusters are developing as a result of those (testing positive) coming back from Sabah.

"Luckily, Selangor is under control as the authorities can identify the sources and they are dealing with it swiftly."

She said while the ministry was doing its best to contain the spread, the public should play their role by following the SOP and look after one another.

She also said children who were at risk of Covid-19 should refrain from attending school.

Dr Rosliza also called for heightened caution to lower the risk of transmission, amid concerns of escalating infections.

She believed the number of cases could be reduced significantly within a month with stringent measures and the public's total compliance with the SOPs.

"Sabah cases were initially confined to institutionalised individuals in detention camps and prisons. But it was made worse by the election activities, where people violated the SOP. Although this is not a statement many would like to hear, but regretfully, that was the case.

"Movements in and out of the districts should have been limited, but it was not done and cases have spread across districts and states. The majority of cases in the peninsula among Malaysians (except in Kedah) are imported from Sabah.

"Are we late (to curb the virus)? Yes. But not too late because the situation is under control. The Health Ministry team is working round the clock to contain the spread. It is hoped that the community will play its part by practising physical distancing, strict hand hygiene and wear face masks."

On the Inter-district MCO in Sabah for 14 days starting today, she said it might not be effective to break the chain of infection as the warning came "too early", hence people could move over the two days.

The government, she said, should have imposed the MCO without informing the community when it would start or if pre-warned, all access routes leaving or entering the area must have been cordoned.

She said with aggressive preventive and control measures either via EMCO or TEMCO, and cooperation from the public, the cases could be reduced.

If the chain of infection could be broken, she said, early reduction could be seen after 14 days.

"However, we need to have a window period of 28 days (of a maximum two incubation period) to ensure that no new transmission is happening.

"Damage control is key and must be done quickly. Targeted testing by the Health Ministry should continue and there must be effective and aggressive health promotion strategies, so the public is reminded to practise the new norms."

Professor Dr G. Jayakumar, a professor of Community and Occupational Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Melaka Manipal Medical College, said the Covid-19 situation was unpredictable and that the country could expect a second wave.

"The decrease in numbers of cases will depend on how diligently the public follows the prescribed SOP."

Jayakumar said EMCO, TEMCO or Inter-district MCO would have to be enforced whenever a situation deteriorated.

"Flight restrictions are an added option. Enforcement against those who do not comply with the SOP has to be stepped up. Specific places may be shut down whenever cases are diagnosed.

"(Nationwide) MCO is a last resort. We need to weigh the pros and cons of enforcing the MCO as a deterioration of the economy will have a vicious cycle of neglect on the health of individuals."

Tarikh Input: 05/10/2020 | Kemaskini: 05/10/2020 | amirahhani

PERKONGSIAN MEDIA

HOSPITAL SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH (HSAAS) UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang
Selangor Darul Ehsan
03 9769 5500
-
SXDcQAx~