The cabinet has activated a special humanitarian committee to repatriate Malaysians stranded in Hubei, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in China, said Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He said the Foreign Affairs Ministry has been tasked to determine how many Malaysians are in Hubei.

He told reporters at the ministry’s daily briefing on the novel coronavirus outbreak that the special committee will work with the National Disaster Management Agency, his ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

“Also involved are airlines such as Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.”

Asked if Putrajaya would still repatriate Malaysians who have already contracted the coronavirus in China, Dzulkefly said: “We are still discussing with the local government in China.

“We can’t tell you the details now and we will have to decide from the discussions.”

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said Putrajaya would hold talks with China on repatriating the 78 Malaysians stuck in Wuhan.

He had said Malaysia was seeking China’s permission to allow those who were not sick to return.

Earlier today, the Health Ministry announced that another Chinese national had tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in Malaysia to eight.

The 49-year-old is the wife of the seventh case confirmed in Johor yesterday.

In terms of persons under investigation (PUI) for the virus, the ministry said from January 10 to 29, there have been 89 PUIs in Malaysia, of whom 44 are Malaysians, 42 Chinese nationals, and one each from Jordan, Brazil and Thailand.

Those tested positive are held in isolation wards in hospitals.

Eighty-one of the total PUI cases have tested negative, while five are still waiting for laboratory results. – January 30, 2020.