Coronavirus: Malaysia confirms another positive case, tally rises to 15

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 7  -- Another positive case of the 2019 novel coronavirus recorded in the country, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 15  as at this afternoon.  

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the latest case involved a 59-year-old woman from Wuhan, China who arrived in Malaysia on Jan 21.

He said the woman along with her husband, their son and daughter-in-law, arrived in Singapore on Jan 17 before going to Johor Bahru on Jan 21.

"The woman was having symptoms of a fever on Jan 26. Instead of going to any health facility for treatment, she just took some medicine bought by her son at a pharmacy near their accommodation.  

"On Wednesday (Feb 5), she remained unwell even after completing the medicine. Johor Bahru District Health Office was notified about her condition by the management of the accommodation where she was staying on the same day and she was referred to hospital for further treatment,” he said here today.

Speaking at a news conference here, Dzulkefly said the woman was currently being treated at the isolation ward in Permai Hospital, Johor Bahru and was reported to be in a stable condition. 

He said the woman's husband, 66, was also placed at the isolation ward in the same hospital and was found asymptomatic.

However, authorities have taken samples of throat swab from the man and currently waiting for laboratory result.

“The woman was supposed to fly home to China on Feb 4 from Johor Bahru to Guangzhou but postponed it after she was feeling unwell. Her son and daughter-in-law, however, went back to China on that day.  

“Currently we are conducting contact tracing involving people during her stay at the accommodation,” he added.

The minister said of the 15 confirmed cases, 11 were China nationals and four Malaysians, while 16 cases were waiting for the laboratory results.

-- BERNAMA