Coronavirus: 16th patient to test positive is woman from Wuhan (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: A 67-year-old Chinese tourist from Wuhan is the 16th patient that has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (pic).

She said at a briefing at the Health Ministry here on Saturday (Feb 8) that the patient is the mother of a friend of the 14th patient to test positive for the virus here.

“The 67-year-old woman was confirmed to carry the virus on Feb 7 and is currently being warded at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. Her condition is stable. This makes it the 16th positive case, with four of the cases being Malaysians, ” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah added that the fourth positive case was that of a 40-year-old Chinese national, and said that he was administered an antiviral after he developed pneumonia.

She said that he has responded well to the treatment.

“Two consecutive clinical samples were taken and both tests came back negative for the coronavirus. He will be allowed to be discharged after a third test, ” said Dr Wan Azizah, adding that the antiviral used was also used to treat HIV.

She also said that that talks will be held soon with Singapore over their recent orange alert announcement.

Dr Wan Azizah also said that there are no plans to have a blanket travel ban on the whole of China at the moment.

“The WHO has not given that guideline and we don’t want to create panic. In Malaysia the situation is still under control and we have to be balanced with our need to prevent the spread of infection and the economics of our country, ” she said.

Currently, 12 out of 16 positive 2019-nCoV cases are China nationals while four are Malaysians.

So far, one patient – a four-year-old Chinese girl – has recovered from the coronavirus and has been allowed to return to China.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had said on Friday (Feb 7) that the four Malaysians are in stable condition with no signs of worsening.

"They are far from any danger. They have symptoms like cough and we treat them symptomatically.

"As with the first case where the four-year-old girl recovered from the virus, we know that these diseases are self-limiting," he said.