THE Health Ministry has confirmed that a fourth person has been infected with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that originated from Wuhan, China.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the latest case is not connected to the earlier three patients who were announced this morning.

“The latest case is a 40-year-old man from Wuhan who arrived in Johor Baru on January 22 from Singapore by bus.

“He had come into the country with 17 others, including his wife and child,” he said in a statement tonight.

Dr Noor Hisham said the patient came down with fever on January 23 and sought treatment at a private hospital in Johor the following day.

He was then refered to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.

“Test samples were sent to the Insitute for Medical Research. On January 25 the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) was given confirmation that the patient tested positive for 2019-nCoV,” he said.

Earlier today, Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed three people had contracted the virus and that they are being quarantined and treated at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

Dr Noor Hisham said the latest patient is in a stable condition.

He said the Johor Health Department acted immediately and detected the 17 other China nationals who had travelled with the victim on the bus to Johor Baru.

He said they were screened and none of them exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus infection.

“Clinical samples collected from them have been sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital to be tested for 2019-nCoV. They have been placed in quarantine while awaiting the test results,” he said in the statement. – January 25, 2020.