SEVEN MORE H1N1 DEATHS THURSDAY, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 51

KUALA LUMPUR, August 13 (Bernama) -- Seven more deaths relating to Influenza
A(H1N1) were confirmed Thursday, bringing the death toll in the country to 51.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the seven deaths were from the
high-risk group who had high blood pressure, heart disease, low imunity or
congenital disease.

They were aged between four months and 92 years old.

"Currently, there are 51 cases in the wards, 29 in Intensive Care Units
(ICU) and 16 out of the 29 in ICUs are from the high risk group," he told
reporters after launching the Malaysian Association For The Study of Obesity
(MASO) Conference here Thursday.

Liow said patients with influenza-like symptoms and heart problems, those
with persistent high fever for more than two days and those tested positive for
Influenza A or B through rapid test would be given antiviral treatment
immediately.

For these groups there was no need to wait for a confirmation from the
Institute for Medical Research (IMR) or the Sungai Buloh Hospital here.

"I have directed all hospitals and clinics to threat these groups of
patients immediately," he said.

Liow also urged doctors to give seven days' medical leave to those suffering
from flu so that they could continue treatment at home and not expose themselves
to the public.

He also called on the people not to panic because 98 per cent of those who
contracted the disease had recovered.

What was worrying was the high risk group which needed immediate treatment
if they showed H1N1 symptoms, he added.

"If everyone acts responsibly and follows the instructions of the Health
Ministry, we believe that we can contain this pandemic," he said.

Liow also said that the current situation, though serious because of the
increase in fatalities, did not warrant the government declaring a health
emergency.

"To declare a health emergency I have to quarantine the community whereby
the government must curb the people's movements. We have not reached that stage
yet."

On the closure of schools, he said the ministry had asked the school
authorities to closely monitor the students and send the sick ones home to rest.

He said parents must also cooperate by ensuring that their children did not
go to school and were immediate treated by a doctor if they showed signs of
H1N1.

"We close a school for a week and then we reopen. Then there is another H1N1
case and a closure order is issued. This is not how we manage the pandemic
because the disease speads not only in schools but also in the communal areas,
night markets or supermarkets," he said.
-- BERNAMA