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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Reuters) – The sister of a 41-year-old Malaysian man who attended a meeting in Singapore last month has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first known person-to-person transmission in the country, authorities in Malaysia said on Thursday said.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old Malaysian woman had direct contact with the man, who had returned to his hometown for the Chinese New Year holidays on Jan. 23, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The woman, who does not have a travel history to China, started showing symptoms on Feb. 1, the minister said. Others in the man’s family have tested negative for the coronavirus.<\/p>\n
“We are calling this the first Malaysian-transmitted local case,” Dzulkefly said.<\/p>\n
The man had attended a company meeting at the Grand Hyatt in Singapore in mid-January. At least three people, including the Malaysian man, who attended the meeting have contracted the virus, sparking a World Health Organization investigation of the case.<\/p>\n
Malaysian health authorities have said people from China including, one from the city of Wuhan, where the virus emerged in December, attended the Singapore meeting.<\/p>\n
Minister Dzulkefly also confirmed another coronavirus case of a tourist from Wuhan, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 14.<\/p>\n
Ten of them are Chinese nationals, while the rest are Malaysians – including two who were evacuated from Wuhan this week. (Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Alex Richardson)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n