ID :
74621
Mon, 08/10/2009 - 20:06
Auther :

SIX MORE DEATHS FROM INFLUENZA A(H1N1), BRINGING TOTAL NUMBER TO 32

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Six more deaths from Influenza A(H1N1)
were confirmed Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 32 in the country
so far.

Director-general of Health Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said in a statement Monday
that 203 new cases were reported and all were locally-transmitted involving
Malaysians.

The accumulated number of H1N1 cases in Malaysia is 1,983.

"Out of the six deaths confirmed today, one happened yesterday while the
other five happened earlier and confirmed to be H1N1-infected on Aug 7 and 8,
but the cases were formally reported yesterday as H1N1-related deaths.

"Two of the victims actually died on Aug 5 and three on Aug 8. Four of the
six were high-risk cases as they had chronic diseases or due to other factors
like old age," said Dr Mohd Ismail.

At the moment, 67 people are being treated in hospitals for the contagious
flu and 15 more in the intensive-care units, with three of them having chronic
diseases, one is obese, one is in post-delivery and another is a baby.

Worldwide, the H1N1 virus has so far killed 1,688 people out of 208,155
reported cases in 174 countries.

Due to the rising number of cases, Dr Mohd Ismail urged the public to be
serious in taking precautions and follow the ministry's advice, while those with
influenza-like symptoms and at high risk of complications should immediately
seek anti-viral treatment.

Those is the high-risk category are children aged five years and below,
senior citizens aged 65 and above, pregnant women, children and teenagers taking
aspirin on a long-term basis, and those with asthma, chronic lung ailment,
diabetes, obesity, nerve disorder, liver and cardiovascualr diseases, and low
immunity.

Dr Mohd Ismail said this group would be given anti-viral treatment without
waiting for the laboratory test results, and the treatment would be effective if
received within 24 hours after the symptoms began.

"To curb the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, the people should adopt a healthy
lifestyle by drinking a lot of water, not smoking, eating healthily and engaging
in physical activities.

"They should also be vigilant of symptoms like breathing difficulty, fever,
prolonged chest pain, coughing with blood in the phlegm, vomiting and diarrhoea,
and seek immediate treatment," he said.

More information on H1N1 can be obtained from the hotline numbers
03-88810200 and 03-88810300 between 8am and 5.30pm or by visiting the Health
Ministry's websites at http://www.moh.gov.my and http://h1n1.moh.gov.my.
-- BERNAMA

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