2019 novel coronavirus: A chronology

KUALA LUMPUR, January 31 — Following is the chronology of events relating to the threat of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

The virus, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, can cause severe respiratory illness, including pneumonia, with fever, cough, breathing difficulty.

December 31, 2019 — Small outbreak of the 2019-nCoV was reported in Wuhan.

January 23, 2020 — China imposed a lockdown in Wuhan. Airports were closed and flights were cancelled.

January 25 — First three confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported in Malaysia.

January 25 — Another one confirmed case of 2019-nCoV was reported, bringing the total to four. All who were tested positive involved Chinese nationals from Wuhan, who arrived in Johor Baru on January 22 by bus from Singapore.

January 29 — Another three positive cases of 2019-nCoV were reported, involving a four-year-old child receiving treatment at Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi, a 52-year-old man at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru and a woman at Sungai Buloh Hospital. All were Chinese nationals.

January 29 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia is prepared to bring back its citizens from Wuhan if allowed by the Chinese government.

January 29 — Malaysian Ambassador to China Raja Datuk Nushirwan Zainal Abidin confirmed 82 Malaysians in Wuhan and its surrounding area are free from the virus.

January 30 — A special committee was activated for the mission to evacuate Malaysians from Hubei province. The committee is coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), with cooperation from the Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, Malaysian Armed Forces, National Security Council.

January 30 — Another 2019-nCoV positive case was reported, bringing the total to eight. The latest case involved a 49-year-old woman of Chinese national receiving treatment at the Permai Hospital, Johor Baru.

January 31 — World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva declared the 2019-nCoV outbreak as a global public health emergency.

January 31 — AirAsia continues to cancel flights from Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok and Phuket to Wuhan.

January 31 — Nine cases of human-to-human virus transmission were detected in five countries outside China, namely Germany, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States of America.

Based on the latest statistics, a total of 9,929 cases of 2019-nCoV were confirmed in 24 countries, with 9,782 infections and 213 deaths reported in China.

Other countries affected by the virus are Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Malaysia, Macau, France, Finland, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, the Philippines, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and India. — Bernama