A H1N1 2 more die

A (H1N1): 2 more die, health curfew if mortality rate reaches 0.4pc (Update 3)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will consider declaring a health curfew only if the mortality rate of those infected with Influenza A (H1N1) goes above 0.4% from the current 0.1%-0.3%.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Government was currently treating the situation as a “health emergency.”

A "health curfew" may involve the closure of all schools and the cancellation of all public and social functions, medical sources said.

Public gathering places might also be temporarily closed.

The flu took two more lives, a seven-month-old boy and a 74-year-old woman, taking the country’s death toll to 64.

Liow said Monday that 384 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of case to 4,225.

The Government calculates the mortality rate based on there being 20 cases of infection unreported for each one that is reported.

Liow also said that government records show that many of the deaths were due to late treatment, and he urged private doctors urged to “raise their level of suspicion” when checking patients.

In ALOR SETAR, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak urged the Federal Government to declare a national health alert.

He said the state government was willing to cancel all government programmes including the state-level National Day parade if the Federal Government declared such an alert.

“We view the spread of the flu seriously because the deaths due to the pandemic has increased day-by-day,” he said after the Wisma Darulaman staff monthly morning assembly on Monday.

In PUTRAJAYA, Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the seven-month old baby had asthma and was warded in the intensive care unit on Aug 7 for fever, cough and breathing difficulties over the past two days.

The toddler’s parents had sought treatment from a private clinic a day earlier and anti-viral treatment was given to him on Aug 8. He was confirmed to have been infected with the A(H1N1) on Aug 12.

“The baby died on Aug 15 due to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory failure,” Dr Ismail said Monday.

The 74-year-old victim suffered from diabetes and heart failure; she was warded on Aug 10 after she fainted at her house.

Dr Ismail said the victim had been suffering from fever and cough since Aug 8 and doctors began anti-viral treatment on her on Aug 11 but the patient died the following day.

He said she had succumbed to severe pneumonia and was tested positive for A(H1N1) on Aug 13.

“There are currently 33 patients being treated in the ICU and they are of the high-risk group -- suffering from chronic illness, asthma, obesity, mentally handicapped patients, a pregnant woman and a woman who had just delivered,” he said.

Dr Ismail said it was important for those even with the slightest flu symptoms to stay away from public places, from going to work or school, and they should not even take public transport to avoid infecting others.

“The public must be aware that even if they have a slight flu, the A(H1N1) virus can still be spread to others when they cough or sneeze.

“That is why we strongly advise those affected to remain at home until the symptoms cease,” he said.

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Latest batch of A (H1N1) cases brings death toll to 62

By LOH FOON FONG

SERDANG: Three more deaths have been reported from the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, bringing the overall death toll to 62.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said there were delays in administering patients with anti-viral treatment in two of the three deaths.

“The ministry will check on why there was a delay,” he said yesterday.

The delay involved a three-year-old boy who was admitted on Aug 1 for fever, cough and dyspnea for five days where he received anti-viral treatment beginning Aug 3 but died last Friday due to severe pneumonia, he said.

The other case was a 50-year-old man warded on Aug 3 with cough, fever, dyspnea, vomitting and diarrohea, he said.

He had influenza-like symptoms since July 28 and anti-viral drugs were given on Aug 4 but he died last Friday due to septicemia and pneumonia, Liow said.

In the third case, a six-year-old Down Syndrome boy suffered from congenital heart problem despite being given anti-viral treatment on the same day he was admitted to hospital on Aug 9 for cough, fever and dyspnea.

He died on Aug 13 due to severe pneumonia with underlying problems and complications.

Speaking after launching a healthy lifestyle campaign here, Liow said there were 283 new cases of infection, bringing the tally up to 3,857 cases.

Thirty-three patients remained in the intensive care unit and out of the number, 16 had co-morbid conditions and chronic diseases while 213 were hospitalised in normal wards, he said.

He urged the public to practise social distancing when they have influenza-like symptoms.

The ministry could apply the Disease Control Act to fine those who knowingly infect others up to RM10,000 or jail up to two years, he said.

On private doctors recently saying that they were reluctant to stock up much anti-virals because the ministry’s guidelines were inconsistent, and that they would prescribe the drug on a case-to-case basis, Liow said the guidelines were clear.

On private doctors complaining about the high prices and the lack of stock of the drugs, he said the Government would talk to the supplier with the hope that they could reduce the price and make it available to everyone.

h1n1 awareness campaign

Govt to launch large-scale H1N1 awareness campaign

PM: "We cannot let this go on"

KUALA LUMPUR: The Govern­ment will launch a large-scale public awareness campaign on Influenza A (H1N1) beginning this week to educate the public on the pandemic in view of the worsening scenario in the country.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government would also make available anti-viral medicine for the public at hospitals and clinics nationwide.

He said the decisions were made after consultation with Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican on ways to contain the spread of the pandemic locally.

Viewing gallery: Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor visiting an operating theatre after opening IJN’s new building Monday.

“The most effective measure is through public education, that is, by educating the public through the provision of guidelines.

“Hence, a large-scale public awareness campaign will be held to provide such guidelines,” he told reporters after opening the National Heart Institute’s new building here yesterday.

To date, the flu has infected 1,983 people and killed 32 locally.

Najib also advised those who had fever to take extra precautions and refrain from going to public places.

“If one has a fever, the best thing to do is to rest at home until one recovers because if one goes out, others may be infected.

“Even in the house, they are advised to wear masks to avoid spreading the virus to family members,” he said.

He added that the anti-viral stock would be increased from the current 10% of the population to 20% involving an additional allocation of RM20mil.

“The Health Ministry, through the hospitals and clinics, will supply the anti-viral drug more widely so that more people can get the injections to help prevent a more virulent strain of the virus,” he said.

Najib said the Government would not impose any travel ban as this was a global pandemic.

Liow meanwhile told reporters later that the ministry was planning to rope in private medical practitioners to help contain the spread of the disease.

Advising the people not to panic, he said:

“The important thing is to control the situation together by maintaining personal hygiene and taking certain steps like self-quarantine, social distancing and getting immediate treatment for the symptoms.”

Last week, Liow ordered all the public and private clinics and hospitals to use rapid influenza screening tests for those who displayed the symptoms as part of the additional strategies to contain the spread. — Bernama

Standardise flu guidelines

MALACCA: The Education Ministry will seek the National Security Council’s help to come out with standard guidelines concerning temporary closure of schools in an effort to minimise the transmission of Influenza A (H1N1).

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said differing sets of standards were currently being adopted by state health authorities and this had led to inconsistency in the number of schools closed from state to state.

Citing an example, he said Malacca had 82 schools closed, the highest in the country, since the influenza was detected, compared to Johor which had two.

“Only one death and one positive case were recorded in schools in Malacca, compared with two in Johor,” he told reporters after attending a briefing at the Malacca Education Department here yesterday.

Presently, Malacca used a “very conservative approach” in dealing with the A (H1N1) situation, by strictly adhering to the Health Ministry’s 5% rule to automatically seek the temporary closure of a school.

Under the ministry’s mitigation phase, health authorities can order the temporary closure of a school, institution or organisation if 5% of its population shows signs of flu.

Dr Wee said the matter would be brought up to the Prime Minister, who chairs the National Security Council for a decision soon.

The Education Ministry, he said, would hold its 3K Committee (Cleanliness, Health and Safety Committee) meeting later this week to decide on what sort of school activities and gatherings should be cancelled.

Dr Wee also said Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) were free to voice their views on the Government’s reversal of the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English policy.

He was referring to an appeal letter addressed to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak by 12 PTAs from Malacca for English to be used to teach the subjects.

“They are entitled to their views and we cannot stop them.”

Flu fatalities climb to 32

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of fatalities to 32.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said there was one death on Sunday while two people succumbed to the disease last Wednesday. Three patients died on Saturday.

It was only now confirmed that the five had died of A (H1N1) following post-mortem, he said, adding that the deaths were officially reported to health authorities on Sunday.

“Four of the victims had underlying risk factors,” he said. “In the last 24 hours, 203 new cases were reported, of which 15 were treated in Intensive Care Unit and 67 patients are in the isolation wards,” he said yesterday.

To date, the total number of reported cases in the country stood at 1,982. Globally, 208,155 people have been found to be infected by the virus and 1,688 people from 174 countries have died.

Dr Ismail advised those who showed symptoms and in the high-risk groups to seek medical attention, adding that anti-viral treatment was effective on patients who began treatment within 48 hours of showing the flu symptoms.

High-risk groups include children who are below five years, senior citizens 65 years and above, children and youth under 19 who have been taking asprin for long-term, pregnant women, those who suffer from asthma, chronic lung disease, organ failure, cardiovascular, liver and blood system diseases, diabetic, obese people and those with low immunity.

“Those who show light symptoms should be given symptomatic treatment, stay at home and limit their interaction with others.”

In Perak, state Health committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said another institution - the Mara Junior Science College in Lenggong - had been ordered to close.

A total of 41 schools and institutions in Pahang have been closed but 11 had reopened, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said.

“The staff of the state health department are doing their level best to curb the spread of the virus.”

A(H1N1): Lady teacher, 51, is country's 8th flu death (Update 2)

By AUDREY EDWARDS and STEPHEN THEN

KUALA LUMPUR: A lady teacher, 51, from a Selangor school closed on July 27 died Sunday, making her the eighth Influenza A(H1N1) death in the country.

She had developed pneumonia and had underlying heart disease, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican on Monday.

He said that a sample was taken after she died and the test results on Monday showed that she was infected by the flu virus.

He said that she had complained of cough, fever and difficulty in breathing and saw a doctor on July 27.

She was later hospitalised in Sungei Buloh Hospital on July 30 and then moved to Seremban Hospital where her condition worsened and she died of pneumonia.

Meanwhile in Miri, a 24-year-old native woman suffering from Influenza A(H1N1) died at 4am on Monday, a mere two weeks after giving birth to her first child at the intensive care unit of the Miri Hospital.

Her baby girl is safe, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said, adding that this was the state’s first reported death from the deadly flu.

The woman, from here, was warded on July 17 after she contracted the disease. At that time she was already in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

The hospital managed to help her deliver a baby girl a few days after she was warded. The baby has been handed over to her father, a labourer in his late 20s.

“This is the first death in Sarawak due to A(H1N1). We (the Sarawak government) have increased the alert level throughout the whole state now.

“Nobody can take this disease lightly anymore,” Dr Chan said.

The Miri Hospital tightened security and safety by several notches to prevent any spread of the disease.

Its director Dr Uma Devi had issued directives to staff not to allow little children to enter the wards if they are not there for any health-related purposes.

Visitors are not allowed to bring babies or little kids to the wards anymore. Old folk are also discouraged from entering unless they are there for health checks.

Smokers are also barred from coming near the wards.

Dr Uma said the tighter safety measures are needed as those who are weaker have immune systems that can be easily attacked by the H1N1 virus.

The Sarawak woman brings the total number of deaths in Malaysia to seven, the previous being an 11-year-old boy who died in Johor Baru on Sunday.

1學生證實流感死‧INCEIF學院關閉5天

1學生證實流感死‧INCEIF學院關閉5天

• A(H1N1)型流感
• 大馬

2009-07-23 18:42

• 

  大馬回教金融國際教育中心行政人員接獲衛生部指示後，在入口處張貼此院即日起關閉，並於7月28日（週二）重開的通告。（圖：星洲日報）

1 of 2

（吉隆坡23訊日）一名學生被證實為全國首宗A（H1N1）型流感死亡病例的INCEIF學院，今日（週四，7月23日）起正式關閉到27日。

這所學院市場及通訊部發言人週四發表文告說，此院是在衛生部的指示下，暫時關閉學校。

她說，學院所有活動都被停止，學院將在7月28日（週二）重開。此院8月3日至6日的考試將如常進行。

一名不願具名的職員表示，衛生部官員將在近期內到此院消毒。院方也將以電郵及手機短訊的方式，通知學院暫時關閉的消息，包括說明關閉的原因。

週四中午12時40分，在證實此院一名學生死於A型流感後，院方已在第一時間關閉學院，通知所有學生及教職員離開，並馬上進行消毒工作。

據瞭解，死者是在這所學院唸回教金融課程。

國際學生居多
死亡病例沒引發恐慌

死者就讀的學院是一間以國際學生居多的高等學府，雖然出現國內首宗A型死亡病例，但沒有引發學生的恐慌。

死者兩名同班同學表示，他們雖然聽聞此事，但大家並不會特別擔心。

來自埃及28歲的女同學表示，這種疾病是世界性的問題，沒甚麼好擔心的。

她說，班上共有約20至30名的學生，以外國學生居多，由於是碩士課程學生的年齡都不一樣。

“雖然出現死亡病例，但我們不會對大馬感到害怕，也不會停學或回國。”

不會停學或回國

另一名來自俄羅斯的25歲男生說，這件事並沒有造成班上同學恐慌，不過基於安全考量，他還是戴上學校發給的口罩。

他表示，他和死者並不熟，對方只來了約一個月，在病發的前幾天，不見他有特別症狀。

另一名和死者住在甘榜峇魯同一座宿舍的同學說，他和死者不熟。死者體形肥胖，經常在學校見到他，相信身體不會太弱。