KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia today confirmed a new case of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), bringing the tally of infections in the country to 17.
The latest case is a 65-year-old Malaysian woman, who is the mother-in-law of the first Malaysian, a 41-year-old man, to test positive for the coronavirus.
The senior citizen is being treated at the isolation ward of the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in Putrajaya today.
It is learnt that the patient has no recent travel history to China.
Dr Noor Hisham said the woman however has pre-existing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, limitation in movements, and also semi-paralysed.
“She had direct contact with the ninth case patient when sitting on the same table with other family members during the Chinese New Year celebration on Jan 26, 27 and 28.
“She had only stayed at home since Jan 29 until Feb 4. On Feb 5, she complained that she was feeling unwell and showed symptoms like headache, perspiration and weakness. However, she did not show symptom of fever.
“She was then sent for treatment as an outpatient at one of the private hospitals before being allowed to return home with the next follow-up treatment on Feb 7.
“Right after her son-in-law, the ninth case, was tested positive with the virus, she was traced back by the district health office. Investigation result showed that she had no travel history to China, and her blood sample as well as her family members, were taken.
“She was tested positive with the virus on Feb 8, while her other family members were tested negative,” he said.
He said the total cumulative cases of the coronavirus as of today was 17 with seven cases categorised under the Patient-Under-Investigation (PUI), eight cases under close contact, and two cases of Malaysians brought back from Wuhan.
Of the total, 12 are Chinese nationals and five are Malaysians.