'Infected' oranges, sick student in Ipoh - fake news of Wuhan virus spreads

Fake news about the discovery of the new coronavirus in Malaysia is starting to spread on social media, amid heightened public concern over the disease.

According to the Health Ministry, one fake message making the rounds is that a prisoner had died a sudden death after eating a mandarin orange and that such oranges from China should be avoided as they have been "infected" by the Wuhan virus.

"Don't spread or believe this news," the ministry said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, ministry director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah denied another viral message that a Malaysian student studying in Wuhan had returned and was now warded at the Ipoh Hospital after testing positive for the virus.

"Institute for Medical Research lab test results have turned up negative for (novel coronavirus) 2019-nCoV [...] there is no case of 2019-nCoV in Ipoh thus far," Noor Hisham posted on Facebook.

                        Read More: New coronavirus outbreak: Here’s what we know so far

Earlier today, the Health Ministry confirmed that three Chinese nationals had tested positive for the Wuhan virus in Johor.

Yesterday, there were reports of four suspected cases, but all four individuals later tested negative.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad later said there was no immediate plan to block China visitor arrivals.

However, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad has stated it was working closely with the Health Ministry to screen passengers at international airports across the country.

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