CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry has identified 22 people who were in close contact with the country’s 18th novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) patient.

Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah (photo) said three among them were the patient's family members while the rest were medical personnel.

"We are continuing our close contact detection work to identify others who may have been in contact with the patient (case no 18), apart from giving health education as well as containment and prevention of cases," he said in a statement on Facebook.

The 31-year-old man, who worked in Macau, returned to Malaysia on Feb 1.

He reportedly started feeling ill and coughing on Feb 3, went to a clinic for treatment and was given medication on Feb 4 and 6.

“On Feb 7, he was still not well and went to seek treatment at a health clinic and was referred to Banting Hospital, Selangor, for examination and treatment on the same day," Noor Hisham revealed yesterday.

The man was found to have had Severe Acute Respiratory Infection and required intensive monitoring, before being tested positive with 2019-nCoV on Feb 9.

As of yesterday, the total number of coronavirus infection in the country was 18 cases, of which three have fully recovered and discharged from the hospital.