KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today advised parents to not bring their children aged 12 and below for shopping or visiting hospitals as they are at high risk of contracting the Covid-19 infection.

Dr Noor Hisham said the authorities might consider enforcement on the parents if the "soft approach” is not successful.

"At the moment, the National Security Council is advising parents to not bring their children to public places such as shopping or hospitals, if there is no appointment.

"If this soft approach is not working, then the authorities might enforce action on the parents who did not obey the orders,” he said during his daily briefing on the Covid-19 update.

As of today, Dr Noor Hisham said that a total of 318 children aged 12 and below are infected with the virus.

Last week, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government would consider acting against parents who bring their children out to shop during the conditional movement control order (CMCO).

At the moment there is no prohibition against parents taking their children out to shop at places where large crowds are expected, but Ismail said parents are still not encouraged to do so during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite his warning, parents and especially single parents still do not have access to childcare and daycare that remain closed due to the CMCO.