KUCHING, Feb 7: The total number of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases in Malaysia has risen to 15, with a 59-year-old woman from Wuhan the latest patient.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the woman travelled to Malaysia last month, entering Johor on Jan 21 via Singapore with her husband, son and daughter-in-law.
“The patient started to experience fever on Jan 26 but she did not seek medical treatment then. She consumed medicine brought by her son from a pharmacy to relief the fever,” he said in a statement.
Dr Dzulkefly said the patient was supposed to fly back to Guangzhou, China, from Johor on Feb 4 but her trip was postponed due to her ailing health conditions.
“She was still not feeling well on Feb 5 after she finished all her medicine to cure her fever.
“As a result, the local district health office received a call from the management of her hotel and subsequently referred her to the nearest hospital for further treatment,” he continued.
Dr Dzulkefly said the medical test for the women on Feb 6 has found that she has been tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. The patient has been sent to the isolation ward at Permai Hospital, Johor, and her condition was stable.
At the same time, the patient’s husband, 66, has also been sent to the isolation ward but he did not exhibit signs of virus.
The minister said the blood sample of the patient’s husband has been taken for testing and awaiting results.
Of the 15 cases in the country, seven patients are under investigation (PUI) for suspected 2019-nCoV and six from close-contacts, while two are among the Malaysians who were brought back from China recently. Eleven of the cases involved Chinese nationals while four are Malaysians.
Dr Dzulkefly revealed that as of Feb 7, the cumulative number of people for PUI for suspected 2019-nCoV stood at 313, involving 198 Malaysians and 107 Chinese nationals.
The figure also involved an Australian, South Korean, Jordanian, Brazilian, Canadian, Bangladeshi, Indonesian and a Thai national.
Seven confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus were PUI cases, with nine still awaiting laboratory results and 297 negative.
Dr Dzulkefly said 19 new cases of close contacts were recorded today, bringing the registered number of cases at 96. Six of the confirmed cases were from close contacts, with 16 still awaiting laboratory results. A total of 76 cases were negative. — DayakDaily
