CANADIAN TOURIST CONFIRMED NEGATIVE FOR H1N1 INFECTION

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), May 14 (Bernama) -- Chief Minister of East
Malaysia state of Sabah Musa Aman confirmed that test results from a 71-year-old
Canadian tourist for suspected influenza A(H1N1) infection were negative.

"I was informed of the results by the state health director this morning,"
he told reporters after chairing a state security committe meeting near this
capital city of the Sabah state Thursday.

Musa, who is the committee chairman, was asked to comment on Thursday's news
in the local media that a Canadian had been placed under observation for
suspected influenza A(H1N1) at the designated quarantine centre in Lintas, here.

He assured that precautionary measures were taken at the Kota Kinabalu
International Airport where two thermal scanners were being installed to screen
passengers for the viral infection.

"The State Health Department has also taken appropriate measures to ensure
that visitors are also screened or examined when entering Sabah," he said.

The Canadian tourist who arrived in Sabah on May 5, went to a private
clinic in Kota Kinabalu a week after following symptoms of fever and sore
throat.

He was referred to the Health Department and was quarantined for a few days.

His blood sample was sent to Kuala Lumpur yesterday for tests and he was
released Thursday after the results were confirmed to be negative.
-- BERNAMA