KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has dismissed claims that it has been ‘late’ in taking action against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in the country.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, said Malaysia’s facilities and relief teams were at their best state of preparedness even prior to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) announcement that the virus – which originated in Wuhan, China – was a global health emergency, Bernama reported.