KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Malaysians will have to use face masks in crowded public areas including on public transportation from August, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Thursday amid the rising COVID-19 cases recently.
The minister, who coordinate the restrictive measures, said in a press briefing that the government made the decision following the increase of COVID-19 cases in recent days and a lack of compliance on standard operating procedure (SOP) among the public.
"Due to this, the government has made the decision that facemasks on public transport and crowded public places will be mandatory from Aug. 1. This decision takes into account the increase in new clusters that have been identified and on the advice of the Health Ministry," he said.
Meanwhile, Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah told a separate press conference that nine more cases had been reported on Thursday, bringing the national total to 8,840 cases.
Of the new infections, three are imported and six others are local transmissions, including new cases from several active clusters.
Eight patients had been released, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 8,574 or 97 percent of all cases.
Of the remaining 143 active cases in the country, five are being held in intensive care and two are in need of assisted breathing.
No new deaths had been reported, leaving the total deaths at 123. Enditem
