FOUR MORE COUNTRIES CONFIRMED TO HAVE INFLUENZA A(H1N1) CASES

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) still
maintains the influenza pandemic warning at Phase 5 since the influenza A(H1N1)
viral infections were detected in Mexico on April 29.

Malaysia's director-general of Health, Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, said
WHO also had not proposed any prohibition on travel and trade, as well as border
closure for any country to safeguard international health.

"However, it is important for people with symptoms like fever, cough, a cold
and sore throat to postpone travel abroad, while those with such symptoms after
returning from overseas travel should seek immediate treatment," he said in a
statement Sunday.

He also said that there was no risk of getting the influenza A(H1N1) virus
from pork or pork products which were properly prepared and cooked.

He said WHO confrmed that 29 countries had officially reported having
influenza A(H1N1) cases, including the latest four being Argentina with one
case, Australia (one), Japan (three) and Panama (two).

The number of cases worldwide has risen to 3,440, following an increase
of 940 cases from the previous count.

The number of deaths from influenza A(H1N1) also rose to 48 from 46
previously. The latest two cases were reported in Canada and Mexico.

Dr Mohd Ismail said Malaysia was still free from the disease infection,
whereby as at Sunday midnight, the four cases admitted to the isolation ward at
the Sungai Buloh Hopsital for observation and investigation were confirmed
negative.

Until Saturday, 2,343 passengers who arrived on 14 flights were screened at
the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Bayan Lepas International Airport,
Penang.

Of the number, 320 passengers were examined while two cases were referred to
the hospital.

-- BERNAMA