A Singaporean died of a heart attack in a tourist bus at the immigration complex in Johor, according to the police, dismissing rumours that he had died of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), according to Bernama.
The Iskandar Puteri police chief, Assistant Commissioner Dzulkhairi Mukhtar, said the man was at that time in a tourist bus at the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Tanjung Kupang.
There were rumours that the man was a Chinese citizen but ACP Dzulkhairi said the man was a Singaporean.
The 78-year-old man died of a heart attack on Saturday (Jan 25). Malaysian media reported the news late on Sunday evening.
“Initial investigations found the man and his 68-year-old wife were travelling from Singapore to Genting Highlands. When the bus stopped at the passport checkpoint, the man suddenly complained of chest pain and an uneasy feeling to his wife,” ACP Dzulkhairi said in a statement on Sunday.
Malaysia has been rocked by rumours of the virus outbreak in the country, which the police and the relevant ministries are trying to correct with media statements.
Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has called on the people not to panic because the situation was under control.
The authorities say 14 Malaysians are under observation in relation to the coronavirus. Nine foreigners are classified as Patient-Under Investigation for the coronavirus, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
The Malaysian police add that they are monitoring social media in the country for rumours and misinformation.
“Following the incident (death of a Singaporean in a tourist bus in Johor) going viral on social sites, the public have been advised to be careful in spreading news before confirming its veracity.
“Police have investigated the individual who spread this fake news under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code,” ACP Dzulkhairi said.
Meanwhile, six crew members of Malindo Air have been quarantined in Zhengzhou, China, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The airline says they are “safe and in good spirits”. It is receiving daily updates from staff based in that city.
The crew members were on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Zhengzhou on Friday (Jan 24) that had a passenger who is suspected of contracting the Wuhan virus, the airline said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Jan 26).