Two more COVID-19 patients in Malaysia discharged

This handout photo taken and released on February 4, 2020 by Malaysia's Ministry of Health shows health workers wearing protective suits as Malaysian nationals arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after being evacuated from China's Wuhan. (Photo: AFP/Malaysia's Ministry of Health/Muzzafar Kasim)

To date, Malaysia has a total of 22 confirmed novel coronavirus cases.

In a press conference, Minister for Health Dzulkefly Ahmad said the two who recovered are both Malaysians who were treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

“The first one is Case 17, which is the 65-year old woman who was found to have contact with Case 9 and was confirmed positive for the virus on Feb 9.

“The second case, Case 18, is the 31-year old male who works in Macau. He was also confirmed positive on Feb 9,” said the minister.

Case 17 is the mother-in-law of a Malaysian man who attended a conference at the Grand Hyatt in Singapore. He became the first Malaysian citizen to be infected with the virus.

"DON’T BE COMPLACENT"

Dr Dzulkefly however quickly added that Malaysians should not be complacent and should continue to take precautions.

“I am very thankful to all the medical personnel who worked had for this to be possible. However I may say please do not be complacent.

“Because just across the causeway of Johor Bahru, Singapore ... raised the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) risk assessment level to Orange,” he said.

The Singapore Ministry of Health had raised the DORSCON level from Yellow to Orange on Feb 7.

Dr Dzulkefly stressed that it was important for anyone who has flu symptoms to continue using face masks and for others to maintain good hygiene by sanitising often.

JOINT WORKING GROUP TO MEET

The minister also confirmed that his deputy will be meeting with the deputy health minister of Singapore next Tuesday.

This meeting between the health ministries of both countries would be the first meeting since the nations set up a joint working committee on Feb 11.

The committee is led by the deputy ministers of both ministries.

VIRTUAL HEALTH ADVISORY

In an attempt to reduce public misinformation of the virus the ministry has launched a virtual health advisory.

“The Virtual Health Advisory is a digital channel that was created in collaboration between the Ministry of Health and DoctorOnCall (a telemedicine platform).

“This is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by DoctorOnCall that enables the general public to access the Virtual Health Advisory programme for free for the first three months,” he said.

He explained that the general public can use the platform to obtain virtual or online consultation with health ministry's family medicine specialists and medical officers.

“The virtual consultation is available between 8.30am to 5pm daily and is accessible through the ministry’s website,” said Dr Dzulkefly.