Malaysia extends full lockdown as new Covid cases stay high

Malaysia extended the nationwide lockdown by two weeks as the number of daily Covid cases remain elevated, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

The first phase of the lockdown, which was due to end on June 14, will continue until June 28, the minister said in a statement on Friday. The decision to extend was made as daily infections still exceeded 5,000 daily, he said. Malaysia returned to a hard lockdown this month after new cases exceeded a record 9,000 by end-May, straining the resources of the nation’s hospitals. Only essential sectors can operate under the renewed restrictions, while movement has been restricted to a 10-kilometer (6.2 mile) radius.