14 Wuhan Nationals Turned Away At KLIA As Another Person Tested Positive In Malaysia
The latest case involves a 49-year-old tourist from China.
By Sadho Ram — 30 Jan 2020, 04:36 PM
Earlier today, 30 January, a 49-year-old woman became the eighth person to be infected with the novel coronavirus in Malaysia
The latest victim is the wife of the seventh confirmed case reported in Johor on 29 January.
While the woman's husband is receiving treatment at the isolation ward of Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Bahru, she has been admitted to an isolation ward in Hospital Permai, Johor Bahru.
According to Health director general (D-G) Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, she is in stable condition.
The woman is said to be a Chinese national
All the confirmed cases in Malaysia currently involve tourists from China.
The first reported case involved four from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the outbreak's epicentre.
As of this writing, the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has killed 170 in China and has infected a total of 7,784 people globally. Of those infected, 7,678 are in Mainland China.
Meanwhile, it was reported earlier today that 14 tourists from Wuhan were turned away at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
According to New Straits Times, the 14 people from the Chinese city flew in on 28 January.
Minister of Home Affairs Muhyiddin Yassin said the action was taken following the government's ban against tourists from Wuhan and Hubei region to avoid the spread of the coronavirus in Malaysia.
Prior to this, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had issued a temporary suspension on tourist visas for Chinese nationals in Wuhan city and the Hubei province on 27 January.
Muhyiddin said that the 14 passengers from Wuhan were barred from entering into the country, adding that frontliners at points of entry have been following strict guidelines from the Ministry of Health
"Checks by Immigration Department personnel at KLIA found the 14 individuals are from Wuhan, China. Therefore, the department issued a 'Not to Land' notice to those individuals and sent them back home," he said at a press conference at Bukit Aman Police Headquarters today.
"Based on the standard operating procedure (SOP), visitors from Wuhan and Hubei are not allowed to enter from all entry points in this country," the Home Minister added.
