Coronavirus: Malaysia announces US$36 billion aid package but lockdown continues; Australia races to stem Delta’s spread
- Malaysia’s third Covid-19 lockdown will end once 10 per cent of people are fully inoculated and daily cases fall below 4,000
- Elsewhere, Australian cities were on high alert as officials race to contain outbreaks of the Delta strain that have forced Sydney and Darwin into lockdown
Malaysia on Monday unveiled a 150 billion ringgit (US$36 billion) aid package to help people through a nationwide lockdown that was extended for a second time with Covid-19 infections still elevated.
The announcement marks the fourth stimulus package announced by the government this year. It was announced a day after Muhyiddin said Malaysia will remain under a lockdown – in place since June 1 – after the country counted 5,586 new Covid cases on Sunday, above the 4,000 level the government had set for easing curbs.
“The graph on daily Covid-19 positive cases shows a horizontal trend,” Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Sunday.
He added that the number of people in intensive care units would also have to fall before the restrictions, which were due to end on Monday, could be relaxed.
At least 10 per cent of the country's population will need to have received two vaccine doses before the lockdown is eased. By Saturday, 6.2 per cent of the population of almost 33 million people had received two vaccine doses, the ministry said.
