LETTERS: Malaysia is a hot, humid and sunny country and as such is very hostile to the coronavirus.
The chance of having a fullblown outbreak here is slim because the heat and humidity will kill the virus.
Remember the deadly Nipah virus? The outbreak did not last long because of the sunlight, heat and humidity.
Multiple outbreaks of the Nipah coronavirus occurred in India and Bangladesh but they did not last long because both are tropical countries.
In Australia, numerous outbreaks of the Hendra virus from fruit bats are self-limiting and do not last long as well.
Cruise ships with their cool dry air-conditioned interior where there is little sunlight provides the best environment for the coronavirus to thrive.
Cambodia, by allowing passengers from a cruise liner to disembark, will not be in danger for it is also a tropical country and the hot environment will not allow the virus to survive for long.
Once the winter ends, the Covid-19 epidemic will end and China will heave a sigh of relief.
DATUK DR LOOI HOONG WAH
Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times