KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — Six passengers that shared a cruise with an American woman infected with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have tested negative, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

The six were among 145 passengers on a Holland America cruise liner docked in Cambodia who flew to Malaysia on a chartered Malaysia Airlines flight.

They were held back for medical tests after an American woman who was with them became Malaysia 22nd confirmed Covid-19 case.

"The results for the Covid-19 detection tests conducted on February 16, 2020 just received from the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) show that they are negative for Covid-19 infection.

"The related embassies have been informed accordingly of these results and they will be allowed to continue with their respective outbound flights to their next destination,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement.

The six include four Americans and two Dutch nationals.

Of those who arrived from Cambodia, 137 have left Malaysia after they also tested negative for Covid-19.

The MS Westerdam cruise liner operated by Carnival Corp unit Holland America had berthed in Hong Kong on January 31 before beginning a 14-day East Asia cruise from February 1.

The cruise ship then arrived in Sihanoukville, Cambodia on February 13, carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew.

It had spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines and Thailand.