Covid 19 coronavirus: Two test positive after travelling from New Zealand

Two people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Malaysia after returning to the country from New Zealand, local media are reporting.

Local media including the country's largest English language newspaper the Star are reporting Malaysia health director general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced 21 new Covid-19 cases in the southeast Asian country yesterday.

He said two of those cases were imported from New Zealand.

The two cases imported from New Zealand were in the state of Selangor, which encircles the capital Kuala Lumpur.

The Ministry of Health told the Herald they are currently working with Malaysia to find out more information.

"We are currently following up with authorities in Malaysia (Malaysia's National Focal Point) to find out more information.

"In these situations, it is standard practice to contact the appropriate National Focal Point when seeking information internationally."

It is not the first report of a person testing positive for Covid-19 after travelling from New Zealand.

In July a person tested positive after arriving in Malaysia from New Zealand, only to later return a negative result after being retested.

In the same month the Ministry of Health tracked contacts, including from a visit to Queenstown, of a South Korean who tested positive after travelling from New Zealand.

The Ministry of Health has been contacted for comment.