KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — Malaysia is looking forward to sharing their experience and research data with several Chinese medical experts on Covid-19 following their arrival in the country today, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Confirming their arrival, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry would also share their research on whole-genome sequencing of the coronavirus with the Chinese medical experts from the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
According to Dr Noor Hisham, the medical experts are seasoned personnel involved in handling the outbreak in the Hubei province — ground zero of the coronavirus.
“Maybe we can see how we can work together in the matter of treatment, public healthcare or virus tracing. We could also learn how to improve our hospital services.
“In fact today we have isolated the virus and cultured them at the Institute of Medical Research’s (IMR) where we will be comparing the virus strains from the first and second wave,” he said in his daily Covid-19 press briefing here.
Earlier today, China’s Xinhua news agency reported that a team of medical experts sent by the Chinese government arrived in Malaysia to help the country fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The eight-member expert team was received by Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian and officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Health upon their arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
According to Bai, the team will share their experience and expertise on fighting Covid-19 with their Malaysian counterparts during their two-week stay in Malaysia.
Like all other international arrivals, Dr Noor Hisham said all the Chinese experts will undergo a mandatory screening process before being allowed to work with their Malaysian counterparts.
On the virus whole-genome sequencing, Dr Noor Hisham said the Covid-19 strain discovered in Malaysia is Strain B which has been identified as the same strain detected when the pandemic first started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei Province.
In confirming the virus’ strain, Dr Noor Hisham said this was concluded after comparison of samples between the first wave and second wave of infection.
Previously Dr Noor Hisham had said that the IMR was conducting research to explore the serology of the virus and its isolation while also looking at its genomics and mapping as part of a mission to assist the global community in coming up with a cure or vaccine.
