ID :
61765
Thu, 05/21/2009 - 23:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/61765
The shortlink copeid
M`SIAN STUDENTS ABROAD ADVISED TO DEFER HOLIDAY TRAVEL IF UNWELL
PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysian students abroad, especially in the
United States planning to come home during the summer holidays are advised to
defer their trips if they have any symptoms of Influenza A (H1N1) or flu or
fever.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the same applied to other Malaysians
overseas who were planning to return home, as well as tourists.
"Should they display any of the symptoms mentioned, they should quickly seek
medical treatment," he told reporters here Thursday.
Liow, however, said those who really wanted to come home were welcome and it
was not a problem as adequate measures were in place to tackle the Influenza
(H1N1) outbreak.
He also reminded them to fill up the health declaration form that would be
provided on their flights accurately so that they could be easily contacted if
necessary.
Liow, who just returned from attending a World Health Organisation (WHO)
meeting in Geneva, said the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) in the southern
hemisphere was also raised at it.
He said there was fear the virus would spread fast there because of the cold
season now.
On the status in the country, Liow said as of this morning, no new cases of
Influenza A (H1N1) were detected despite 16 people admitted to hospital
Wednesday for observation.
He said of the number, four were admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, four
to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, two at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Baharu,
two at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, Seremban, two at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota
Kinabalu, and one each at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan and Penang
Hospital. All were confirmed negative except for the two cases in East Malaysia
state of Sabah which were still waiting for the test results.
He said the two United States citizens quarantined in Sabah for having come
into contact with a Hong Kong person confirmed to have contracted the virus,
were in good condition and would be released on Saturday if they do not show any
symptoms of infection.
Also as of Thursday morning, WHO reported that the number of countries
affected by the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak remained at 41, but the number of
cases detected rose to 10,587 with the death toll rising to 84 people.
Liow also said Malaysia was now in direct contact with China's Health
Ministry which enabled timely updating on health issues, including the spread of
Influenza A (H1N1) in that country.
"Previously, we had to go through their embassy here and China's Foreign
Ministry first. Now we can communicate directly with China's Health Ministry not
only at a minister-to-minister level but at the officer level as well," he said,
adding that the agreement on this was reached at his meeting with his Chinese
counterpart on the sidelines of the WHO meeting in Geneva.
Similar cooperation had long been established among the 10 Asean countries
and also with South Korea and Japan, he added.
-- BERNAMA
United States planning to come home during the summer holidays are advised to
defer their trips if they have any symptoms of Influenza A (H1N1) or flu or
fever.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the same applied to other Malaysians
overseas who were planning to return home, as well as tourists.
"Should they display any of the symptoms mentioned, they should quickly seek
medical treatment," he told reporters here Thursday.
Liow, however, said those who really wanted to come home were welcome and it
was not a problem as adequate measures were in place to tackle the Influenza
(H1N1) outbreak.
He also reminded them to fill up the health declaration form that would be
provided on their flights accurately so that they could be easily contacted if
necessary.
Liow, who just returned from attending a World Health Organisation (WHO)
meeting in Geneva, said the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) in the southern
hemisphere was also raised at it.
He said there was fear the virus would spread fast there because of the cold
season now.
On the status in the country, Liow said as of this morning, no new cases of
Influenza A (H1N1) were detected despite 16 people admitted to hospital
Wednesday for observation.
He said of the number, four were admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, four
to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, two at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Baharu,
two at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, Seremban, two at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota
Kinabalu, and one each at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan and Penang
Hospital. All were confirmed negative except for the two cases in East Malaysia
state of Sabah which were still waiting for the test results.
He said the two United States citizens quarantined in Sabah for having come
into contact with a Hong Kong person confirmed to have contracted the virus,
were in good condition and would be released on Saturday if they do not show any
symptoms of infection.
Also as of Thursday morning, WHO reported that the number of countries
affected by the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak remained at 41, but the number of
cases detected rose to 10,587 with the death toll rising to 84 people.
Liow also said Malaysia was now in direct contact with China's Health
Ministry which enabled timely updating on health issues, including the spread of
Influenza A (H1N1) in that country.
"Previously, we had to go through their embassy here and China's Foreign
Ministry first. Now we can communicate directly with China's Health Ministry not
only at a minister-to-minister level but at the officer level as well," he said,
adding that the agreement on this was reached at his meeting with his Chinese
counterpart on the sidelines of the WHO meeting in Geneva.
Similar cooperation had long been established among the 10 Asean countries
and also with South Korea and Japan, he added.
-- BERNAMA
