Malaysian back from Japan tests positive for Covid-19 - 23
The 53-year-old woman who had just returned from Japan, was referred to the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC). - NSTP/File pic
By New Straits Times - February 27, 2020 @ 9:11pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded a new Covid-19 case today, in the form of a 53-year-old woman who had just returned from Japan.
The Health Ministry said the Malaysian, who is the country’s 23rd case, had returned from Japan on Feb 23 after which she had a fever.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the woman sought treatment at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
“A subsequent Covid-19 test was done, and she tested positive on Feb 27,” he said, adding that the case was referred to the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC).
Meanwhile, he said two Covid-19 patients have made full recovery and have since been discharged from hospital.
The two women are a 67-year-old Chinese national, who was the country’s 16th case, as well as an American woman - Malaysia’s 22nd Covid-19 case - who was treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham said in total, 22 people have made successful recoveries from Covid-19.
As of today, the authorities collected samples from 1,569 people for Covid-19 testing. From this total, 23 people tested positive, 1,523 negative while the rest were still awaiting lab test results.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham also commented on the status of 66 people comprising Malaysians and their family members who were brought home from Wuhan, China in a second humanitarian aid mission on Feb 26.
“Upon arrival, they underwent medical screening and clinical samples were subjected to entry screening for Covid-19.
“All 66 people tested negative for Covid-19. However, they have been placed in a quarantine centre for 14 days of medical observation,” he said.
He also noted that as of Thursday, there were 81,398 registered Covid-19 cases worldwide, with 2,770 deaths. From that total, four per cent (3,200 cases) were outside China, with 52 deaths.
Observations, he said, showed a drastic rise of Covid-19 cases in South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran over the past week.
He said given the current situation, the ministry is advising Malaysians to postpone their travel plans to districts or cities in China which have been declared as Covid-19 outbreak areas, as well as to South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran.
