PUTRAJAYA has extended its travel ban to include Chinese nationals from Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, as the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the mainland tops 800 today.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the temporary visa ban now affects three provinces, including Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak that started last December.

She told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the travel restrictions will be enforced in accordance with the Chinese government’s “lockdown” of territories.

Beijing has sealed off 16 cities in Hubei, including its capital, Wuhan, five cities in Zhejiang and two cities in Jiangsu.

Dr Wan Azizah said Malaysia has no intention of imposing a total ban on travel between the countries as the virus situation is still under control.

“The Health Ministry, Immigration Department and other agencies working at the Sultan Iskandar Building and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Johor Baru are urged to increase surveillance and advise people who come through,” she said, referring to the customs, immigration and quarantine facilities.

The death toll from the virus has surpassed that of the SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, outbreak, which killed 774 people in 2002-03. – February 9, 2020.