TWO Malaysian evacuees from Wuhan, China have tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus, said Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He said a 45-year-old man and his 9-year-old child are now at Seremban’s Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital isolation ward.

“The two are being treated and both are in stable condition,” Dzulkefly said in the ministry’s daily media conference today.

He said with the latest two cases, there are now 12 confirmed cases of coronavirus recorded in Malaysia

Yesterday, the Health Ministry said a Malaysian had contracted the virus while attending a conference in Singapore.

The minister said the 41-year-old tested positive yesterday and is being treated at Sg Buloh Hospital. 

“The Health Ministry is checking close contacts of the person concerned.”

The patient, from Selangor, is the country’s first coronavirus case involving a local.

Dzulkefly said so far, 74 close contacts of the patient from Selangor have been identified and 35 of them have been reached and had their samples taken for tests.

“These 35 individuals are under home surveillance. They are being monitored by our staff if they develop any symptoms related to the virus,” said Dzulkefly.

Dzulkefly said from January 10 to February 5, there have been 257  patients under investigation.

He said of that total, 161 are Malaysians, 91 are Chinese nationals, and one patient each from Australia, South Korea, Jordan, Brazil and Thailand.

Dzulkefly said two people taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital yesterday for isolation after arriving from Wuhan, tested negative for the virus.

The two initially showed symptoms of the virus when they were brought to the air disaster unit centre upon their arrival.

“The two have been tested negative. After showing symptoms at the air disaster unit, they were taken to HKL for isolation but we can confirm they do not carry the virus.” – February 5, 2020.