Updated 7:30pm, 10 Aug 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 Aug 2009: Six more deaths from Influenza A(H1N1) were confirmed today, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 32.
Director-general of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said in a statement today that 203 new cases were reported, all of them locally transmitted involving Malaysians.
The accumulated number of H1N1 cases in Malaysia is 1,983.
“[Of the six deaths today], two of the victims actually died on 5 Aug and three on 8 Aug. Four of the six were high-risk cases as they had chronic diseases or due to other factors like old age,” said Ismail.
Those in the high-risk category are children aged five years and below, senior citizens aged 65 and above, pregnant women, children and teenagers taking aspirin on a long-term basis, and those with asthma, chronic lung ailment, diabetes, obesity, nerve disorder, liver and cardiovascualr diseases, and low immunity.
Ismail said this group would be given anti-viral treatment without waiting for the laboratory test results, and the treatment would be effective if received within 24 hours after the symptoms began.
Meanwhile, PAS has proposed that the government take more serious measures to check the spread of Influenza A(H1N1).
Vice president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the sharp rise in deaths this week compared with two weeks ago was due to local transmissions, not imported cases.
“Government measures have not been effective in checking the spread of the virus, which has become a threat to national security,” he said here today.
Mahfuz proposed that a national security committee be formed to implement more serious preventive measures.
He said a special Parliament session should also be called to discuss a “white paper” on the issue.
Tourists should be strictly examined, and those returning from abroad should be identified to stop the virus from spreading, Mahfuz added.
Presently, 67 people are being treated in hospitals and 15 more in intensive care units. Worldwide, the H1N1 virus has so far killed 1,688 people out of 208,155 reported cases in 174 countries.
More information on H1N1 can be obtained from the hotline numbers 03-88810200 and 03-88810300 between 8am and 5:30pm, or by visiting the Health Ministry’s website at moh.gov.my. — Bernama
Moin says
Swine death is surging at an alarming rate but the relevant authority are really moving at a snail’s pace.They are ill-prepared and waiting for more victims to succumb to the deadly disease. Over the local dailies, there are reports that classify the disease as being imported and locally transmitted. What are the distinction between the two? Are they in any way different? Hospitals of all nature are not well-prepared to meet this pandemic.
The people have to take care themselves but there are no warnings or visible guidelines for them. Walk on the street – how many of them are aware of these guidelines? Only a handful. But the death rate is alarming. A walk into the top government hospital clearly shows the government and the health authorities right down to the doctors are not serious about the issue. Swine flu, the symptoms are similar to any ordinary flu, then how are we going to know if one has the deadly virus in them? It may be too late for some who may only come to think of this flu as nothing but an ordinary sore cold.
We need a task force from the top right to our doorstep who can monitor this deadly virus from the clinching the next life. Politicians please stay out! You’re nothing but a pain in highest sense. You do nothing but only do things to gain political mileage. Mobilise all health workers. They should be at the frontline to combat the swine flu. The so called high-risk group coming to clinics and hospitals should be taken care of first like providing breathing masks and probably vaccines