NORWAY, LATEST COUNTRY HIT BY INFLUENZA A(H1N1)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has
confirmed two influenza A(H1N1) cases in Norway, raising the number of countries
affected by the disease to 30.

WHO, in its report, also said that 4,393 cases had been reported worldwide
so far while the number of deaths had risen to 52 after one was recorded in
Costa Rica and three in Mexico.

"As at 9.00 last night, the ministry's Crisis Preparation and Response
Centre (CPRC) received four notification cases which were admitted to the Sungai
Buloh Hospital isolation ward for the purpose of investigation and observation
and all cases were confirmed negative for influenza A(H1N1), and to date no
influenza A(H1N1) cases were detected in our country," said Health
Director-General Dr Ismail Merican in a statement Monday.

He said WHO still maintained the influenza pandemic alert level at Phase 5
and did not recommend health, travel and trade restrictions and closure of
borders for any countries.

Dr Ismail said that until yesterday, 4,901 individuals had been screened at
all points of entry to this country.

Of the the total, 4,745 people were screened at the air gateways, 133 at the
ports and 23 at the land gateways.

Only one passanger who arrived at KL International Airport from Korea was
referred to Sungai Buloh Hospital for further examination and the test result
was negative, he said.

Eleven thermal scanners had been installed at six entry points to speed up
the process of screening.

The public, he said, need not worry with the influenza A(H1N1) situation in
the country because the ministry constantly monitored the situation to protect
the health of people in the country.

-- BERNAMA