PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad urged Malaysians concerned about the Wuhan virus (2019-nCoV) to put their trust in science and medicine instead of quackery.
Commenting on a news report of a “doctor” claiming that 2019-nCoV can be defeated with coconut water, the minister said the public must evaluate claims rationally before relying on this information.
Dzulkefly said health authorities have already recommended precautions against the spread of the virus, which were derived from medical knowledge and experience in dealing with contagions.
“We have outlined several steps to ensure hygiene such as washing hands, using hand sanitisers and masks if you are coughing so the germs won’t spread.
“If there is anyone who says otherwise, you can listen but you need to think. We (MoH) follow premise evidence-based research based on accurate information and science,” he told reporters at the ministry here today.
On February 7, Sinar Harian reported “Professional Health Doctor” Dr Noordin Darus as saying those infected with coronavirus should eat leafy greens and drink up to seven glasses of coconut or warm lemon juice to be cured.
On a separate matter, Dzulkefly said that three former 2019-nCoV patients have been released after tests showed that they were free of the virus.
He said the ministry will continue monitoring them but expressed belief that they should now have the needed antibodies to resist future infections.
“I can say that there have already been some observations that relapse might happen but as far as we observe, we have not seen this.
“Once you contracted this then you have enough immunity. The fact you’ve gone from positive and negative means you have enough of it,” he said
Malaysia reported its 18th case this morning, after a 31-year-old local man with history of travelling to China was confirmed as infected yesterday.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the patient, who works in Macau, was being treated at Hospital Sungai Buloh.
The MoH said there are still 107 people located through contact tracing who remain under a medical quarantine nationwide.
