First coronavirus-related death reported in Malaysia

Malaysia on Tuesday confirmed the country’s first death from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.

Local Authorities in Sarawak on the Malaysian part of island of Borneo said that a 60-year-old Baptist Pastor died in hospital in Kuching, the regional capital.

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According to the Sarawak State Secretariat Disaster Committee, some 193 close contacts of the deceased have been put under home quarantine.

Malaysia’s Health Ministry had confirmed 553 cases of coronavirus by Monday, over 300 of which were linked to an Islamic ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur’s outskirts in February that resulted in cases among worshippers in Brunei.

Meanwhile, about half of the estimated 15,000 to16,000 crowds had so far been screened.

The country’s recent spike in cases prompted the government to order a partial lockdown on Monday, effective from March 18 to March 31.