
China coronavirus: Singapore and Malaysia both report fourth confirmed cases
- The patients travelled to Singapore and Malaysia from Wuhan in China, where the new coronavirus originated
- Officials are tracing those who were in contact with the patients
It has spread to other parts of Asia, with eight confirmed cases in Thailand, four in Australia, four in Japan, three in South Korea, two in Vietnam and one in Nepal.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health said in a statement that the fourth case was a 36-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan who had arrived in Singapore with his family on January 22 and checked into a hotel in Sentosa. He developed a cough the next day and sought treatment at a hospital on Friday.
“He was classified as a suspect case and immediately isolated. Subsequent test results confirmed Wuhan coronavirus infection,” the ministry said.
The man is in an isolation room and his condition is currently stable. The ministry said it was tracing those who had been in close contact with the man.
Meanwhile, Malaysia also confirmed its fourth case late on Saturday, just hours after announcing its first confirmed cases.
Malaysia confirms three coronavirus cases, Australia has four
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said the latest case was a 40-year-old man from Wuhan who was part of a tour group that travelled by bus to the southern state of Johor from Singapore on Wednesday.
The man had suffered from fever the next day and went to a hospital in Johor, where tests confirmed he was suffering from the coronavirus.
“He is currently experiencing fever and cough, but his condition is stable,” Noor Hisham said.
The three were related to the 66-year-old man confirmed by Singapore to have tested positive for the virus. They included his wife, 65, and their two grandsons, aged 11 and 2. They have been admitted to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur and were in a stable condition, the minister told a news conference.
Malaysia Airports said it had heightened screening of passengers and crew arriving from China at gateway airports across the country to minimise the potential spread of the virus.
China coronavirus: new cases in Singapore, Japan, Nepal and Korea
He was in a stable condition and had been isolated to undergo treatment.
“It’s important to stress there is no cause for alarm to the community,” Mikakos said.
Australia has changed its travel advice to advise its residents not to travel to the province of Hubei in China, which includes the city of Wuhan, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
China coronavirus: new cases in Singapore, Japan, Nepal and Korea
The man had returned from Wuhan 10 days before, and is being kept in isolation while tests are carried out.
“We can control the situation and are confident in our ability to handle the crisis,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters, adding that three of the people infected were being treated and five had recovered and gone home.
