KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — A 39-year-old woman from China has become the 19th recorded person in Malaysia to be infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19), said the Health Ministry.

Director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the woman, who is a friend of the 14th coronavirus victim and the child of the 16th coronavirus victim, arrived in Malaysia with four other people from Wuhan on January 25.

"As soon as the 14th and 16th cases tested positive for the virus on February 5 and February 7, respectively, the woman was placed under the monitoring and isolation order,” he said in a statement.

Based on the District Health Department’s observations, the woman began showing signs of fever and coughing yesterday, thereafter was referred to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for further treatment.

"Detection and verification tests conducted on her came back as positive on the same day. She has now been placed in the hospital’s isolation ward, and is in a stable condition,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

Covd-19 cases in Malaysia involve 13 Chinese citizens and six Malaysians, with three of the patients already discharged following their recovery..

Of the 19 cases, nine were classified as Patient-Under-Investigation, eight under close contact, and two cases who are Malaysians brought back from abroad through humanitarian missions.

Close contact tracing has identified 223 individuals in relation to the patients, with further tracing activity being conducted.