CORONAVIRUS | Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad says the ministry is waiting for a laboratory test result on a woman suspected of having the new coronavirus in Bintulu, Sarawak.
"We have just received the news. I spoke to the hospital director, and yes, she is under investigation. We are waiting for the lab test result.
"The patient is in a stable condition. We are only providing her with symptomatic treatment," Dzulkefly said in a media conference today at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2.
Dzulkefly said two suspected cases were in Langkawi, involving two children from China. Both children are in a stable condition and have been placed in isolation.
"We are still waiting for the lab results on them," he said.
The latest update from the minister brought the suspected coronavirus cases to five altogether, including two other patients from China who are being monitored at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
Earlier today, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (above) had dismissed viral speculation of new coronavirus cases having been detected in Bintulu, Langkawi and Kuala Terengganu.
“At this point, there is no confirmed (novel) coronavirus cases in Bintulu, Langkawi and Kuala Terengganu.
“(On suspected cases) ...there is no coronavirus. There are all sorts of illnesses brought to the hospital, such as pneumonia.
“If there are any positive cases, I will inform,” Noor Hisham said.
This came after the Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department sent out a statement this morning in regard to the woman.
It explained that a police team had yesterday responded to information circulating on Facebook that a suspected new coronavirus case had been brought into the hospital.
The state CID said the patient had been placed in an isolation ward for 14 days.
Preliminary investigations have shown that a private hospital referred the case to Bintulu Hospital after it was found that the patient was running a high fever after returning from Wuhan, China.
Wuhan is the epicentre of the virus, which has resulted in some 80 deaths and close to 2,800 people being infected globally.
The 25-year-old woman, a Chinese national, has been identified as a marketing executive at a power plant project in Bintulu.
“The patient went to Wuhan on Jan 11 for work. She returned on Jan 16 and transited at Kota Kinabalu.
“On Jan 26, the patient sought treatment at (the private hospital) as she was scared as she was experiencing fever and had just returned from Wuhan,” the Sarawak CID added in its statement.
No suspected cases in T'ganu
In Terengganu, the state health director Nor Azimi Yunus has clarified that as at Jan 26, there have been no suspected cases of the new coronavirus being admitted in the state hospitals.
This came after a Facebook posting alleged five people who have just returned from Wuhan were admitted to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Kuala Terengganu for suspected novel coronavirus infection.
Authorities have also denied viral claims that suspected cases have been detected in Seremban, Pahang and Malacca.
To date, Malaysia has confirmed four positive cases, all Chinese nationals, in Johor.
To date, Malaysia has confirmed four positive cases, all Chinese nationals, in Johor.
Authorities have also detained a family of three after the parents took out their two-year-old daughter suspected of having the disease out of a hospital against doctors' orders. - Mkini
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