KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported 660 new COVID-19 infections, the health ministry said on Tuesday, bringing the national total to 16,880.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press briefing that two of the new cases are imported and 658 are local transmissions.

Four more deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 163.

The majority of new cases are from the eastern state of Sabah, with 443 new cases recorded. A two-week movement restrictions is in place starting on Tuesday to curb the spread.

Another 350 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total cured and discharged to 11,372, or 67.4 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 5,345 active cases, 101 are being held in intensive care units and 32 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told a separate press conference the decision to reintroduce movement restriction measures in several areas including the capital city Kuala Lumpur as a response to a spike in new cases.

Muhyiddin also said economic activities would not be impacted by the movement restrictions, being allowed to proceed as usual but with strict standard operating procedures and health guidelines in place.

Apart from Sabah, the measures, will be in force in Kuala Lumpur, the administration center of Putrajaya as well as the adjacent Selangor state from Oct. 14 to 27. Schools are closed with most social activities banned during the period, among other restrictions. Enditem

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