KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — A 75-year-old man in London may have become the first confirmed death of a Malaysian abroad from Covid-19, after he died on Sunday (March 22) following treatment at a hospital.
Berita Harian reported that Husin Long, formerly from Melaka and who once served at a British naval base before migrating, was confirmed to have passed away at the Royal Free Hospital at 5pm on Sunday.
This was confirmed by his son Mohammad Ali, 28, who said Husin’s remains were buried at the Garden of Peace cemetery in Elmbridge Road, Ilford, at 2pm yesterday, with only 10 people permitted to be present.
“My father went through screening and was confirmed to be positive with Covid-19 before dying, all within a short period of time. When he was admitted into the hospital for breathing difficulties, the medical team was unsure as he has several health problems.
“His lungs were not functioning, and they suspected he was positive with Covid-19, just not that certain,” he said.
Husin’s widow Zauyah Embi, 66, said her husband initially displayed symptoms including fever, but after taking pain medication, his health began to improve.
“A few days later, Husin’s health began to deteriorate, and I asked him to drink plenty of water. His face was pale and he had trouble breathing, leading me to ask Ali to contact the ambulance and bring him immediately to the hospital,” she said, adding she wanted to visit her husband later on but was dissuaded by the hospital authorities from doing so, out of fear of being infected.
Husin leaves behind his wife, four children, and several grandchildren.
Yesterday, British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay advised all citizens holidaying in the country to return to the United Kingdom as soon as possible, given the increasing difficulty of travelling internationally.
Those seeking to stay on in Malaysia were advised to arrange long-term accommodation, with government repatriation only available under exceptional circumstances.
On Monday, the UK implemented a three-week lockdown by closing non-essential shops and services and banning more than two people at a time from congregating, as part of its efforts to curb Covid-19, which has since killed 335 people in the country.
