Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin tests negative for Covid-19
- Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri tested positive, leading to Muhyiddin and cabinet members to quarantine
- Malaysia on Tuesday reported 691 new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily jump since the start of the pandemic
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, his office said on Wednesday, after a minister who attended a high-level meeting chaired by the premier on Saturday contracted the virus.
Muhyiddin, along with 13 ministers and deputy ministers, started home quarantine on Monday after it was discovered that Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri had Covid-19.
“The prime minister is currently in good health. However, he will continue self-quarantine until the end of the 14-day period set by the ministry of health,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
The health ministry has warned that Malaysia is facing a new wave of virus cases as the outbreak has widened in recent days. New clusters have sprung up in many states amid increased travel to eastern Sabah state, a hotspot zone, for a state election last month.
Malaysia on Tuesday reported 691 new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily jump since the start of the pandemic.
Local reports said religious minister Zulkfili visited two states and attended a number of events including at mosques and universities since returning from Sabah on September 24. Zulkifli apologised in a Facebook post and urged all those at events he attended to undergo virus tests.
Apart from Zulkfili, several other lawmakers have been diagnosed with the virus after travelling to Sabah. The corruption trial of former prime minister Najib Razak was also postponed on Monday after defence lawyers told the court Najib has to serve a two-week quarantine after returning from campaigning in Sabah.
The government announced on Monday that more areas in Sabah, including state capital Kota Kinabalu, will be locked down and 122 schools closed to curb the virus. Sabah is just a boat ride away from the Philippines, which has recorded more than 324,000 cases.
Malaysia resumed its economic activities in June after nearly three months of lockdown.
Additional reporting by Associated Press