Last updated:  21 February 2021

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered strain of coronavirus, a type of virus known to cause respiratory infections in humans. This new strain was unknown before December 2019, when an outbreak of a pneumonia of unidentified cause emerged in Wuhan, China.

The first case of COVID-19 in Malaysia was detected on 24 January 2020.  The WHO Country Office in Malaysia has been working closely with the Ministry of Health to respond to this outbreak. 

Collaboration includes:

• sharing technical guidance on critical response actions, including clinical and public health system strengthening;
• maintaining and enhancing infection prevention and control;
• procuring critical laboratory and medical supplies;
• testing methods and external laboratory quality assurance;
• surveillance, risk assessment, modelling and projections;
• communicating and engaging with the public on how to protect themselves and others, including the catered messages to the general public and vulnerable populations that are at high risk.