Malaysia has reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus cases as the government considered imposing restrictions in some areas, while businesses warned that another nationwide lockdown would further batter the economy.

The health ministry reported a record 3,027 new infections, raising the total so far to 128,465 cases, including 521 deaths.

The ministry projects that infections will rise to 5,000 cases a day by April if the reproduction number used to measure the virus’ spread, known as the R0, remains at 1.1, Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah said.