Fellow Malaysians, we might just need to put our guards up even more than we already have against the Wuhan novel coronavirus, because it has just been reported by Sin Chew Daily and China Press that the first human-to-human transmission of the virus in Malaysia has just been confirmed by the Ministry of Health!
Source: Sin Chew Daily
According to both Chinese dailies, this brings the total confirmed cases of the Wuhan novel coronavirus to 14; 10 Malaysians, 4 Chinese nationals. Among the two newly confirmed cases, one of them happens to be the sister of the first Malaysian to catch the disease when he was in Singapore, while another is a Chinese national.
Source: The Sun
Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad, Malaysia’s Minister of Health, made the announcement today (6th February 2020) during a press conference.
As a result of their close association as siblings, this means that the newly diagnosed female patient caught the disease from her brother, marking the first ever case of human-to-human transmission of the Wuhan novel coronavirus in Malaysia between Malaysians.
The second confirmed case is from a woman who originated from Wuhan and was traveling in Malaysia with her mother and three other companions. Her mother and her other companions have thankfully tested negative for the virus.
Source: CNA
Both women are currently being quarantined and treated in hospital. 74 people who were identified as having close contact with the latest Malaysian patient will also be screened for the virus, with 41 of them testing negative.
We hope that this doesn’t spark a serious outbreak within our shores, given how human-to-human transmission is already happening in local shores! Here’s to wishing all patients here and abroad who are suffering from the coronavirus well!
Also read: 133 M’sians Trapped In Wuhan Have Arrived Safely Home, Will Undergo 14 Day Quarantine
