People's Daily (Bangkok) - Malaysia reported 172 new cases and 4 deaths related to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,796, and deaths to 19, according to the country’s health ministry. 

File photo: Xinhua

71 new cases are linked to a mosque gathering in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, during a religious event from February 27 to March 1 that involved about 16,000 people and led to confirmed infections outside Malaysia in Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

So far, 199 patients have recovered from the disease caused by the virus. Forty-five are in critical condition.

Malaysia will extend the movement control order (MCO) by two weeks until April 14 to contain the further spread of COVID-19, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Wednesday.