KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said a Chinese tourist who was warded at a hospital in Kota Kinabalu for suspected novel coronavirus is currently in stable condition. 

The patient was earlier rushed to a hospital from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).

"The patient has been quarantined in a hospital in Sabah and his condition has stabilised,” he said in a statement released on the Health Ministry’s website.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, as of now, the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) has received reports of four patients suspected of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

"Upon detection, they were placed in isolation wards to allow further treatment and investigation.

"Laboratory tests on a sample of three patients were found to be negative of the infection,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham added that the test samples of these cases have been sent to the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) for detection and validation tests.

"Test results will be available the soonest,” he said.

The Health Ministry has advised Malaysians to delay any travel plans to Wuhan, China except if there are urgent matters.

As for those who are returning to Malaysia from Wuhan, the ministry advised them to follow several precautionary measures.

This includes, practising high level hygiene, using a face mask and hand sanitiser while traveling, avoiding public and tourist areas, avoid consuming meat products that are partially cooked, and immediately seek medical treatment if found symptoms of fever, cough and breathing difficulties within 14 days.