ID :
58795
Mon, 05/04/2009 - 13:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/58795
The shortlink copeid
NEW ZEALANDER TESTS NEGATIVE FOR INFLUENZA A(H1NI)
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) -- The test on the throat swap sample taken
from a New Zealand national who complained of being unwell at Penang Hospital
yesterday, showed negative for influenza A(H1N1).
Health Mininister Liow Tiong Lai said the Institute for Medical
Research (IMR) received the sample 10.30pm and had conducted the test until
5.30am Sunday.
"IMR did a neat job and the sample was processed quickly so that the people
can know the result without delay," he told reporters after making a surprise
visit to the institute here.
According to reports, the 45-year-old New Zealander arrived at KL
International Airport on April 25 and was admitted to a private hospital in
Penang six days later.
He was later transferred to the Penang Hospital as a precaution in the wake
of the influenza A(H1N1) outbreak in New Zealand.
Liow said he was satisfied with IMR's preparations as the referral
laboratory for influenza A(H1N1) and was constantly ready 24 hours a day to
receive and carry out investigations on any samples received.
He also advised the media not to be hasty in reporting any influenza A(H1N1)
suspected case because it would create panic among the public. "If there are
such cases, the Health Ministry will immediately make it public and be
transparent. We will not cover up any case," he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry's Disease Control Director Dr Hasan Abdul
Rahman said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had categorised cases relating
to the outbreak as influenza A(H1N1) confirm and probable cases.
"A sample obtained will be tested in the laboratory to determine whether it
belongs to influenza A already identified or not. If the test finds the sample
is influenza A yet to be identified, then only it will be categorised a probable
case," he said.
He said that after the process, the sample would undergo a series of
rigorous test which took between 10 hours and a week before it could be
confirmed as influenza A(H1N1).
However, IMR was in the process of obtaining the reagent from Centres For
Disease Control in Atlanta, United States, to enable a sample to be directly
tested for influenza A(H1N1) which would only take six hours, he said.
-- BERNAMA
from a New Zealand national who complained of being unwell at Penang Hospital
yesterday, showed negative for influenza A(H1N1).
Health Mininister Liow Tiong Lai said the Institute for Medical
Research (IMR) received the sample 10.30pm and had conducted the test until
5.30am Sunday.
"IMR did a neat job and the sample was processed quickly so that the people
can know the result without delay," he told reporters after making a surprise
visit to the institute here.
According to reports, the 45-year-old New Zealander arrived at KL
International Airport on April 25 and was admitted to a private hospital in
Penang six days later.
He was later transferred to the Penang Hospital as a precaution in the wake
of the influenza A(H1N1) outbreak in New Zealand.
Liow said he was satisfied with IMR's preparations as the referral
laboratory for influenza A(H1N1) and was constantly ready 24 hours a day to
receive and carry out investigations on any samples received.
He also advised the media not to be hasty in reporting any influenza A(H1N1)
suspected case because it would create panic among the public. "If there are
such cases, the Health Ministry will immediately make it public and be
transparent. We will not cover up any case," he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry's Disease Control Director Dr Hasan Abdul
Rahman said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had categorised cases relating
to the outbreak as influenza A(H1N1) confirm and probable cases.
"A sample obtained will be tested in the laboratory to determine whether it
belongs to influenza A already identified or not. If the test finds the sample
is influenza A yet to be identified, then only it will be categorised a probable
case," he said.
He said that after the process, the sample would undergo a series of
rigorous test which took between 10 hours and a week before it could be
confirmed as influenza A(H1N1).
However, IMR was in the process of obtaining the reagent from Centres For
Disease Control in Atlanta, United States, to enable a sample to be directly
tested for influenza A(H1N1) which would only take six hours, he said.
-- BERNAMA
