KOTA KINABALU, Feb 25 — Sabah health authorities are testing a local 35-year-old woman working at the Kudat district hospital for possible infection of the Covid-19 coronavirus after she returned from Korea.

State Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon said the woman, a lab technologist, is currently under quarantine at home as a "person under investigation” for the next 14 days.

"Before they are considered a suspect, they have to fit the criteria as determined by the Health Ministry, which includes having been to China.

"In this case, she did not go to China. But we are still testing her. Hopefully by tomorrow morning I will get the full report,” he said. 

Poon was responding to viralled Whatsapp messages claiming a Kudat hospital staff was suspected to have the coronavirus following her recent trip to Korea.

According to the text, the woman went on a five-day trip to Korea with friends and showed symptoms such as coughing, fever, flu, migraine and a sore throat upon her return.

She went for a checkup yesterday and was suspected to have contracted the virus.

Sabah has no confirmed cases of the Covid-19.

Malaysia has a total of 22 cases, with only one patient remaining hospitalised.