THERE is no need to repatriate the 49 Malaysians in Wuhan at this juncture, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“We did discuss this, but at this juncture there is no need to bring them back,” she said after chairing a high-powered meeting for coordinating Malaysia’s response to the coronavirus.

The 49 Malaysians are students and working professionals.

Also present at the meeting in Putrajaya today were Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and Immigration Department director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud were also there.

Saifuddin said the situation has not reached critical levels and Wisma Putra is in constant contact with the 49 Malaysians in Wuhan through the Malaysian embassy in Beijing and Consulate General in Xi’Ann.

The central Chinese city is currently on lockdown, with travel in and out restricted by authorities.

He advised Malaysians who felt unwell after returning home to seek medical attention.

Malaysia has four confirmed cases of the virus, all of whom are Chinese nationals that travelled here.

On January 23, Malindo Air and AirAsia suspended flights to Wuhan. – January 26, 2020.