MALAYSIA HAS H1N1 VACCINE FOR SWINE FLU

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has the vaccine for swine flu
which can be used to stop the spread of the disease to this country.

Veterinary Services director-general Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin said the H1N1
vaccine should be injected into pigs as a preventive measure following reports
of 81 people killed by the swine flu in Mexico.

He told Bernama that the department was only waiting for the directive from
the Health Ministry to carry out vaccination on the livestock.

He believed that the H1N1 vaccine was also used by pig farms in other
countries as a preventive measure against swine flu.

Dr Abd Aziz also disclosed that Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
had issued a directive to all State Veterinary Services directors to monitor pig
farms in their respective states as a precaution and to report on any sign of
swine flu infection.

"Stern action will be taken against them if they fail to do this. They must
also ensure that all the pig breeders follow instructions like their workers
must wear masks," he said.

Dr Abd Aziz said state livestock breeders' associations were required to
cooperate with the Veterinary Services Department by reporting on any symptom of
swine flu.

"If their workers have similar symptoms for influenza, high fever, sore
throat and body aches, they must be given leave and undergo medical examination
immediately."

Dr Abd Aziz said so far the department had not received any report of swine
flu symptoms in the country, while the disease also had the potential of being
spread to birds but the possibility was remote.

"If avian flu can spread through food like by eating chicken, swine flu
cannot be spread by eating pork but through human contact," he said.

More information on the swine flu can be obtained by calling 03-88810200 or
03-88810300, or by visiting website www.moh.gov.my.
-- BERNAMA