Wednesday, 04 Aug 2021 10:03 AM MYT
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AUGUST 4 ― Malaysia has reached a critical juncture in the quest to overcome the pandemic as July 31 marked 500 days of since Malaysia’s first movement control order (MCO) was implemented. Since then, Malaysians have been in various stages of limited economic and social activity for 16 months and counting.
Despite a commendable and increasingly inclusive acceleration of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Plan, cumulative cases now stand at more than 1.15 million. Last week also marked the first time the country’s daily Covid-19 fatalities breached the 200-mark, amid global concerns of the Delta variant spread.
December 15, 2020
Women wait at a bus station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Reuters
Women and children have been hardest-hit by coronavirus restrictions in Malaysia, experts say, with domestic violence and calls to abortion helplines both increasing during lockdown.
Women’s groups reported a threefold increase in distress calls over the past year, while a reproductive rights group said calls from women seeking access to safe abortions increased nearly 50 per cent over 2020 compared to 2019.
The Women’s Aid Organisation reported a 150 per cent increase in calls to its hotline and an 80 per cent increase in messages to its WhatsApp distress channel from the same period last year.