KUANTAN: Pahang Health director Datuk Dr Bahari Awang Ngah today confirmed that there is no case of infection of the new 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) recorded in any hospital in the state so far.
He said the allegation that went viral on Facebook, allegedly posted by the administrator of Kuantan City’s page, claiming that there had been a positive case of the 2019-nCoV at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Hospital here, is not true.
“Our investigation found that the patient is a Malaysian citizen receiving treatment for a normal coronavirus infection. The patient had also not travelled to Wuhan or China within the last 14 days before falling sick,” he said in a statement here today.
Bahari said all tests on the patient was done at the Institute for Medical Research and the National Public Health Laboratory.
“The administrator of Kuantan City’s Facebook page has also apologised for uploading the status which caused unnecessary confusion among its followers,” he said.
In Johor, Johor Lama assemblyman Rosleli Jahari regretted the action of an individual who initiated the circulation of a false message on a suspected case of 2019-nCoV infection in Kota Tinggi on WhatsApp while quoting him as the source of information.
The message, in the form of a 45-second audio recording, claimed that a number of doctors in Kota Tinggi had been transferred to Permas Jaya due to the suspected infection of coronavirus.
“The audio recording was widely circulated on WhatsApp since yesterday afternoon, claiming that the information came from me.
“That person must have been so keen on becoming a hero or the first to break the news, but the information, which he claimed is from me, is all wrong,” he said.
Rosleli also advised the public not to easily believe all the viral news as it is best for them to verify the information with the right authorities, such as the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, Information Department and all its agencies.
The assemblyman, however, said that he would not lodge a police report or prolong the matter as the person involved had apologised to him and promised not to spread false news again. — Bernama
