KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Embassy in China has formed an emergency response team in the wake of the deadly coronavirus (2019-nCOV) outbreak which has killed 54 people and infected almost 2,000 in the country.
Malaysia’s Ambassador to China Raja Datuk Nushirwan Zainal Abidin said the embassy is contacting over 100 Malaysians – comprising professionals and students, as well as their family members – who are based in Wuhan, which is the epicentre of the viral outbreak.
He said the embassy is also engaging with the provincial government, including its education and health offices, to keep close track of developments on the outbreak.
“We have established an emergency response team here at the embassy. We are trying to get in touch with all the Malaysians who have registered with us, whose phone numbers we have.
“According to our figures, there are anywhere between 115 to 120 Malaysians (in Wuhan) who are registered with us.
“These are professionals as well as students, and their family members. But we have reason to believe that quite a significant portion of them have left Wuhan because of Chinese New Year,” Raja Nushirwan said.
He advised Malaysians still in Wuhan not to panic, and to take seriously health precautionary measures recommended by the authorities.
“The health precautions are already quite well-known. (Hence) Don’t get involved with large masses of people, wear masks, continuously wash hands.
“(The Malaysians) should constantly keep themselves updated on the situation via local media as well as news from the Malaysian Health Ministry, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the World Health Organisation,” he said.
Raja Nushirwan also urged family members of Wuhan-based Malaysians to provide information on their loved ones’ whereabouts to the embassy via their email mwbeijing@kln.gov.my or by phone at +861065322531
“This is so that we are able to coordinate information. That is the most important thing right now,” he added.