Published 11:20 IST, January 25th 2020
3 Chinese nationals in Malaysia infected by deadly coronavirus
Malaysia has reported its first three cases of deadly coronavirus on January 25 and are admitted to Sungai Buloh hospital in Kuala Lumpur for treatment.
Malaysia has reported its first three cases of deadly coronavirus on January 25. Dzulkefly Ahmad, Health Minister of Malaysia has said that the three individuals infected were Chinese nationals and related to the 66-year-old man that was confirmed by Singapore health officials to have tested positive for the virulent virus. Dzulkefly said that the infected individuals were a 65-year-old woman, the wife of the man detected with the virus in Singapore and their two grandsons aged 11 and 2.
All three patients admitted to hospital
All three have been admitted to Sungai Buloh hospital in Kuala Lumpur for treatment and their condition is considered to be stable, according to the minister. Malaysia airport has heightened its screening process to minimise the rapid spread of the virus. Singapore has confirmed two more cases of the recent outbreak of deadly coronavirus, according to its health ministry on January 24.
It was just after a day the island nation identified its first case of the infection that originated from China. The health ministry said that it expected more imported cases due to the huge influx of people travelling from China. The deadly virus has killed 41 people and infected more than 1000 people. In a bid to take precautionary measures, China has locked down five cities on January 24, including Wuhan, suspending all public transport to contain the deadly virus that has infected more than 1000 people and left 41 others dead, as per reports. It also cancelled the celebrations of Lunar New Year recently.
China suspends public transport
Chinese authorities announced the suspension of public transport in five cities - Huanggang, Ezhou, Zhijiang, Qianjiang and Wuhan in Hubei province on Thursday evening, according to the official media reports. The decision has been made after the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee meeting on the night of January 22. WHO’s Director-General, in a statement, said that there was an ‘excellent discussion’ during the committee meeting and was ‘very impressed’ by the detail and depth of China’s presentation.
The decision over declaring it a public health emergency has not been made. The Director-General said that he will decide after appropriate consideration of all the evidence. China placed its city, Wuhan, the centre of coronavirus epidemic under effective quarantine on January 23 with trains and flights suspended, subways halted and large events called off as doctors with their full-body protective gear treat the patients.
Updated 11:20 IST, January 25th 2020