PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has commended China for its action in managing and containing the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
Dr Dzulkefly said this when comparing the way the Chinese government contained the 2019-nCoV virus, which has spread across the republic and abroad, as to during the period involving the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak.
“I must say China has done an extremely (well job) and (that the Chinese government was) transparent as opposed to the SARS episode.
“China has implemented rigorous measures including placing a lockdown on Wuhan (the epicentre of the 2019-nCoV epidemic).
“The republic has made commendable measures that included intensifying sharing of information, conducting a rigorous investigation, as well as research on this episode of the coronavirus,” he told reporters here today.
At the home front, Dr Dzulkefly said Malaysia was looking into several measures to prevent the virus’s spread but remained guided by recommendations made by the World Health Organisation (WHO), similar to other countries.
“While everyone is conscious, apprehensive and concerned, we must also stay guided by the advice of the WHO which designated the 2019-nCoV as a Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC).
“At the end of the day, we must responsible for our action.
“And I must say again, in this particular episode, we are closely working together with other Asean nations as well as the world health and medical scientific community over issues surrounding the outbreak,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly added as of noon today, there are no new positive cases involving people contracting the virus. He said the number of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases stood at eight people all involving China nationals.
The total cumulative Patient-Under-Investigation (PUI) cases, he said, was 192 with 173 of them tested negative for the 2019-nCoV infection. The ministry, however, was still waiting for the outcome for the laboratory result involving 16 of the PUI cases.
Asked on the progress of those found positive of contracting the virus, Dr Dzulkefly said the patients showed no worsening symptoms.
“A disease is always self-limiting. It will regress with time. They (the patients) will eventually recover
“Meanwhile, we will do a repeat sample throat swabs on the patients in monitoring the situation.”