Malaysian health officials announced four confirmed coronavirus infections on Saturday, becoming the fourth Southeast Asian country where the virus has emerged.

Early Saturday, Malaysian Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed that three Chinese nationals – a 65-year-old woman and her two young grandsons – were infected and had been admitted to Sungai Buloh hospital in Kuala Lumpur for treatment. He identified the woman as the wife of the man detected with the virus in Singapore on Thursday.

Hours later, Noor Hisham Abdullah, director-general of Malaysia’s health department, announced a fourth confirmed infection.

“This case is not related to the three positive cases that were reported earlier today (Saturday),” he said in a post on the health department’s official Facebook page.

Cases of the coronavirus have also been reported in Vietnam, and Thailand confirmed a fifth infection on Friday.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said his government had no plans to block Chinese tourists from entering Malaysia.

Full story: BenarNews

Noah Lee and Nisha David
Kuala Lumpur

TN

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