THE Kelantan Health Department today urged the public not to believe a rumour that a 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) carrier was in the state during Chinese New Year  recently.

Dismissing the rumours, director Dr Zaini Hussin said the fake news could create uneasiness among the public whereas the department had taken the necessary steps to control the spread of the virus.

“The rumour that an infected person had visited his family in the state during Chinese New Year is not true,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Dr Zaini was commenting on rumours that a Malaysian man who was found positive for 2019-nCoV on February 4 had visited his relatives here during Chinese New Year.

He said so far, there has been no cases in Kelantan.

In a related development, Dr Zaini said screening tests to detect the disease can now be conducted at the Public Health Laboratory in Perol here as well as Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital.

He said this meant that the tests need no longer be sent to Kuala Lumpur for verification.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Local Government, Health and Housing Committee chairman Dr Izani Husin also confirmed that the rumours were untrue.

“I have just had a meeting with the state health director on the precautionary measures to tackle the spread of the infections and I was told that it (the rumour) is not true,” he said. – Bernama, February 6, 2020.