Of these cases, 22 have been cured and discharged, while the rest are still receiving treatment.

The ministry said the 26th case is a man aged 52 who travelled to Shanghai, China, in mid-January and started having fever and sore throat on Thursday. He tested positive yesterday and was admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital isolation ward.

The 27th case is a 20-year-old nurse who underwent short-term training at a private hospital which had treated a previous case, the ministry said.

On Friday, the nurse, who did not use any personal protective equipment (PPE) as recommended, started having coughing symptoms. She was tested positive yesterday and admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital isolation ward.

The 28th case is a man aged 45 and a colleague of a previous case. He and the colleague and another person had travelled to Milan, Italy, from Feb 15 to 21 and was found to have symptoms on Wednesday.

He was also confirmed positive yesterday and admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital isolation ward.

The ministry said the 29th case is a 35-year-old woman who had been admitted to a private hospital on Feb 21 and placed in a room with the 24th case, who had not been confirmed positive at the time.

The woman was allowed to return home on Tuesday but began having symptoms of fever and cough two days later. She was confirmed positive yesterday and admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital isolation ward.

The ministry said 15 of the 29 confirmed cases were Chinese nationals, 11 Malaysians, and three from the United States, Japan and Italy.