Malaysia’s first citizen case of coronavirus met business delegates from China in Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR — On Tuesday (Feb 4), the Malaysian health authorities announced the first case of a citizen being infected: A man who met business delegates from China in Singapore last month.

It was one of two new cases of the Wuhan coronavirus in the country, increasing the total to 10 cases. The second new case is a Chinese national from Wuhan who has been in Malaysia since Jan 18.

The Malaysian, who is 41 and from Selangor, travelled to Singapore from Jan 16 to 23 to meet business delegates from China, one of whom was from Wuhan in Hubei province, ground zero of the coronavirus outbreak.

“He returned to Malaysia on Jan 23, and on Jan 29 he received treatment at a private hospital because of fever and cough,” Malaysian Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said at a news conference.

A few days later, on Feb 2, the patient was referred to the Sungai Buloh Hospital on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, where he was warded in an isolation room for tests.

On Monday (Feb 3), his test results confirmed positive for the coronavirus. He remains under quarantine in an isolation ward.

The other new case is a 63-year-old man from Wuhan, who took a flight to Kuala Lumpur  on Jan 18. On Jan 23, he reported having a fever and sought outpatient treatment at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He was advised to stay under quarantine at home for 14 days.

A little over a week later, on Feb 2, the man reported that the fever had not gone away. He was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. He tested positive for the virus the next day.

Out of the 10 cases of infection in Malaysia, nine are Chinese citizens.

Dr Dzulkefly noted that the ministry had contacted the Ministry of Health in Singapore to begin contact tracing of the individuals close to the Chinese delegate from Wuhan.

While Malaysia has not put strict travel restrictions on all arrivals from China, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said that, between Jan 27 and Feb 3, a total of 147 Chinese citizens from Wuhan and Hubei province were not allowed into Malaysia, as a measure to stop the coronavirus spread. /TISG