国际英语新闻:Malaysia reports 3,631 new COVID-19 cases, expands movement restrictions to counter spread

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia will expand tighter movement restriction measures by including most of the country to contain the spread of COVID-19, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Tuesday.

Ismail, who coordinated the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions, told a press briefing the states of Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu will see tighter restrictions imposed from Jan. 22 to Feb. 4.

The Health Ministry reported 3,631 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national total to 165,371. Another 14 deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 619. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah told a separate press conference that seven of the new cases are imported and 3,624 are local transmissions.

Previously, the government imposed tightened measures on the capital Kuala Lumpur, the states of Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor and the northern Borneo state of Sabah, among others from Jan. 13 to Jan. 26.

Under the stricter restrictions, all social events involving mass gatherings are banned. Residents are only allowed to travel within a radius of 10 km, and no dine-in service is provided in restaurants.

"Essential economic sectors" like manufacturing, construction, logistics are allowed to operate but employers must limit the number of staff who have to work in the office.

Some 2,944 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total cured and discharged to 125,288, or 75.8 percent of all cases. Of the remaining 39,464 active cases, 238 are being held in intensive care units and 96 of those are in need of assisted breathing.