Malaysia declares nationwide lockdown as COVID-19 cases spike

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Monday imposed a new nationwide lockdown, as the country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases and highly infectious variants that the government said are testing its health system.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said all inter-state and inter-district travel will be banned, along with social gatherings. Educational institutions will be shut but economic sectors will be allowed to continue, Muhyiddin said, without elaborating.