ANKARA

Malaysia on Wednesday reported four more deaths and 172 new cases of coronavirus, health officials said.

With new cases, country’s death toll due to the deadly infection, known as COVID-19, rose to 19 while those confirmed positive of the virus rose to 1,796, country’s Health Ministry director-general Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a live news conference, the daily Star reported.

Malaysia's defense minister also said that a retired Lt. Col. of the armed forces died of COVID-19 infection on Tuesday.

The deceased was admitted to Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital in Kuala Lumpur on March 16, and confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 21 and died on March 24.

A total of 199 COVID-19 patients have recovered, so far, in Malaysia.

Earlier today, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the Movement Control Order period will be extended from March 31 to April 14.

“Those who are currently in their hometowns need not rush back to [the capital] Kuala Lumpur this weekend. Stay in your hometowns and don’t go anywhere,” he said in a televised address to the nation.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 170 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 425,400 while the death toll is nearly 19,000 and over 109,100 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

Italy, China, Iran, and Spain continue to be the most affected countries.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who contract the virus suffer only mild symptoms before making a recovery.