KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 4): Malaysia confirmed today its first citizen, who has been infected by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) after the 41 year old man tested positive for the virus yesterday (Feb 3).
There are 10 reported 2019-nCoV cases in the country so far, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
In a statement, Dr Dzulkefly said the man had travelled to a neighbouring country between Jan 16 and Jan 23 this year to attend a meeting involving international delegations, including delegates from China.
"He returned to Malaysia on Jan 23. On Jan 29, he received medical treatment at a private healthcare centre in Selangor due to fever and cough.
“He was then referred to the Sungai Buloh Hospital on Feb 2 and admitted to an isolation ward. He was confirmed to be 2019-nCoV positive on Feb 3, and is now in stable condition," Dr Dzulkefly said.
Dr Dzulkefly said the Malaysian health ministry has contacted the health ministry of a neighbouring country.
According to Dr Dzulkefly, the neighbouring country's health ministry confirmed the commencement of contact-tracing activity.
“The (Malaysia) health ministry is collaborating with the health ministry of the neighbouring country to identify the source of the infection,” Dr Dzulkefly said.
The 41 year old Malaysian man is one of two new cases of 2019-nCoV reported to Malaysia's Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre yesterday.
Dr Dzulkefly said today that the other case involves a 63-year-old man from Wuhan, China.
The two new cases bring the total number of 2019-nCoV cases in Malaysia to 10 so far, Dr Dzulkefly said.