Number of A(H1N1) deaths rises to 12

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Aug 2009: The number of deaths due to Influenza A(H1N1) jumped to 12 today after four more people, including three children, were reported to have died.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said three deaths were reported in Malacca in the last 48 hours, while the other was reported in Johor.

He said the first case involved a three-year-old girl with a history of chronic respiratory tract infection, who died of severe pneumonia.

“The second victim was a 12-year-old boy with chronic kidney failure, who was undergoing dialysis treatment. [He] also died from severe pneumonia,” Ismail said in a press statement today.

A 20-year-old man with chronic asthma was the third victim, while the fourth casualty was a six-year-old boy. Both died of severe pneumonia.

Ismail said 1,476 H1N1 cases were reported as of 8am today. Of the number, 574 were imported, while 902 were local transmissions.

Some 1,413 patients have recovered, 10 are under treatment in Internal Care Units (ICU), and 28 are receiving antiviral treatment in isolation wards.

Globally, some 193,686 H1N1 cases with 1,361 deaths have been reported in 171 countries.

In JOHOR BARU, Johor Exco for Women, Family, Community and Health Dr Robia Kosai said the six-year-old boy who died had had fever for several days.

He had received treatment at a private hospital but was later admitted to Batu Pahat Hospital after his condition deteriorated.

In LABUAN, eight new cases of local transmission had been reported. Three more schools have been ordered closed since yesterday.

Labuan Director of Health Dr Zaini Hussin said two cases each were detected at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan, Sekolah Kebangsaan Pantai, and Sekolah Menengah Sains.

And in BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the recurrence of haze could mean a surge in A(H1N1) cases in Malaysia unless proactive measures were taken to curb persistent local transmission.

He said the haze, which affects those suffering from upper respiratory illnesses, would complicate matters as the H1N1 virus has been known to attack lung cells directly, causing serious pneumonia and fatality. — Bernama