Covid-19 in Malaysia

What's up with Covid-19 in Malaysia? 

There are now 29 red zones in the country: Petaling, Hulu Langat, Gombak, Sepang, Hulu Selangor and Klang in Selangor; Cheras, Kepong, Lembah Pantai and Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; Hilir Perak and Kinta in Perak; Rembau Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; Kota Bharu in Kelantan; Jerantut and Kuantan in Pahang; Jasin and Melaka Tengah in Melaka; Muar, Kulai, Kluang, Johor Bahru and Batu Pahat in Johor; Kuching and Kota Samarahan in Sarawak; Tawau and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah; and Putrajaya. 

Should we remain hopeful? 

I suppose there are encouraging signs because 85, 69 and 54 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday respectively. It's been three times this week that the country has recorded only double-digit figures for new cases in a 24-hour span since March 18, 2020. 

But yesterday, an eight-member medical team from China suddenly turned up to assist us in fighting the pandemic. Hmm, I wonder what gives?

In Singapore, things don’t look so good – especially when we look at the numbers. 

Yesterday, its Ministry of Health confirmed 942 new cases of Covid-19 infection, bringing the tally for the city-state to 5,992. 

In the Philippines, it seems the bigger issue is one of compliance. 

Its president Rodrigo Duterte (left) threatened Filipinos with martial law-style enforcement if they persist in not observing the month-long lockdown. 

Police said 120,000 people have been arrested or warned for flouting a stay-home order. That’s nearly twenty times the number of confirmed infections in the country. 

Last month, five men who were arrested for being out on the streets were reportedly put in a dog cage as punishment. 

In the city of Paranaque within Metro Manila, lockdown violators were allegedly forced to sit under the sun with no protection after their arrest. 

And on April 02, police manning a checkpoint in the town of Nasipit in the province of Agusan del Norte in Mindanao shot dead a civilian who refused to follow restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

If you don't know him, Duterte means business!