Malaysia health authorities said one patient who returned from Italy caused 37 other infections, which led to several deaths, after failing to disclose past travel details accurately.

Malaysia's health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah gave this example on Sunday, April 5 to show why it was essential for those possibly exposed to Covid-19 to be forthright with health authorities.

Noor Hisham said Malaysia’s Case 1,580 had been to Italy but did not disclose this upon returning to the country.

The person then became an index patient who went on to infect over three dozen other people.

The infections resulted in at least five deaths and has left one in critical condition.

“As of noon today, 180 countries worldwide have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic."

“As such, there is definitely a risk of importing other countries’ Covid-19 cases into the country and causing a local spread,” he said during his daily press conference.

Earlier, he reported 179 new Covid-19 cases, bringing Malaysia’s total up to 3,662 as of Sunday.

Four more Covid-19 patients have also died, raising the death toll to 61.

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