A passenger wears a mask at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang January 21, 2020. — Reuters pic
ALOR SETAR, Jan 29 — The public should not spread fake news about the 2019 novel coronavirus which claimed that the disease had spread to the state, after a child in Langkawi tested positive for it.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said the situation in Kedah was under control and only a four-year-old female China national had been confirmed with the infection while results of health tests conducted on her family members were negative.
“The child is still being treated at the isolation ward in the Sultanah Maliha Hospital (HSM), Langkawi, and her parents will continue to be with her here as she is still small,” he told reporters after chairing the Exco meeting here today.
He added that the special tents set up in major hospitals in the state were part of the standard operating procedure in handling the spread of a disease like coronavirus.
“Action taken at the state level (to control coronavirus) involves four hospitals, namely the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) here, HSM in Langkawi, Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH) in Sungai Petani, and the Kulim Hospital.
“The screenings are done according to procedure... before the patient is admitted into the hospital, he will be placed in the special tent outside the hospital for screening purposes before being sent to the special unit for treatment.
“That is why the hospitals set up these tents, so I urge (the public) not to spread fake news alleging that coronavirus had spread in Kedah because this is the SOP to tackle such problems,” he said.
On the impact of coronavirus on tourism in Kedah, specifically Langkawi, Mukhriz said he has not received any information on the matter.
He added that all parties should be confident that the state government was prepared to tackle any possibility and will curb the spread of coronavirus in the best possible way.
“We are taking precautions because we cannot say that Langkawi is free from all diseases, nobody can give an assurance like that, but we can be sure of our hygiene (is at an optimum level).
According to a statement from Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah this morning, three more cases of coronavirus have been reported, bringing the total number in the country to seven. — Bernama
