KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is investigating allegations that a former minister and his deputy may be infected after exposure to a coronavirus patient.
The ministry is also probing their connection with Malaysia’s 26th Covid-19 case, said to be a Khazanah Nasional Berhad employee who attended a recent ministry function with the former minister and deputy minister.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today said follow-up action will be taken by the ministry, but did not name the two politicians or say if they have tested positive for the coronavirus so far.
“The public is advised against viraling reports on unverified cases of Covid-19 by KKM (MOH) to avoid panic and confusion among the masses,” he said, adding that contact tracing and Covid-19 investigations is done according to protocol.
Dr Noor Hisham, meanwhile, gave updates on the 26th case, saying the patient is currently under observation and in isolation at Sungai Buloh Hospital.
The patient, a 52-year-old Malaysian man with a history of traveling to Shanghai, China, tested positive yesterday, and is currently in stable condition.
“Five contact tracings with (the patient’s) family, a special assistant to the 26th case, and a private health staff member has tested negative for Covid-19,” Dr Noor Hisham added.
“Investigations and contact tracing detections are still ongoing.”
Separately, Dr Noor Hisham said no new cases of the coronavirus have been reported to MOH’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre as of today. Malaysia still has 29 cases, of which 22 have recovered.
