With Singapore so close to Malaysia, it’s only a matter of time before the Wuhan virus landed on our neighbour. Two days after the first confirmed case in Singapore, Malaysia now has three confirmed cases, and they’re all relatives of the first patient in Singapore.
I know what you’re thinking: Wait, what? I thought those tourists who had travelled with Patient Zero in Singapore had been cleared of the virus?
Well, either it’s a conflicting report or the virus had not emerged until today.
Because surprising, none of them showed any symptoms.
Official: Malaysia Now Has 3 Confirmed Wuhan Virus Cases & They’re All Relatives of S’pore First Patient
Lest you’re not aware, the first Singapore patient had arrived in Singapore on 20 January 2020 at about 10.40pm with nine other travelling companions. One of them is his 37-year-old son, who was also infected.
Before they knew their status, the other eight travelling companions left for JB. They comprise his wife, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and another family of four comprising husband and wife and two children.
Once the Singapore authorities knew about the first imported case, they immediately contacted the Malaysia authorities that isolated those eight tourists immediately in an unnamed hotel.
The tourists had shown no symptoms and initial tests had cleared them of the virus.
However, today, the bad news came.
Wife & Grandchildren Infected
It’s now confirmed: three of these tourists carry the virus.
The three infected parties are the 65-year-old wife of the first Singapore patient and his two grandchildren aged 2 and 11.
What’s even more shocking is that all of them did not show any symptoms at all.
Their diagnosis only came through lab tests.
According to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the three of them have been placed under observation and isolation at the Sungai Buloh hospital in Selangor.
Healthcare workers who had attended to them would be monitored, too.
The minister thanked Singapore again, saying, “We located the patients after receiving information from our Singaporean counterparts so we thank them for that. We will continue to monitor and observe the situation.”
Indeed. If not for the information, no one—not even those three confirmed patients—would know that they carry the virus.
The minister added, “We will intensify our level of preparedness and are on high alert.”
With these new cases, the total number of confirmed case has just rose to 1,316 instead of the 1,313 reported this morning.
