Stricter H1N1 measures as WHO declares pandemic

Friday June 12, 2009

PETALING JAYA: More drastic measures including greater screening at entry points into the country will kick in with the declaration of a pandemic for influenza A(H1N1), said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Other measures included taking passengers’ temperatures before disembarkation and controlling human traffic from an affected township or village, he said.

He said the ministry would be drawing up a plan to prepare Malaysia for a possible Level Six scenario.

He said ministry officials would also be visiting hospitals and clinics to inform healthcare workers and general practitioners to be prepared and to be on high alert. “The people have to be on high alert. be cautious and follow the ministry’s instructions,” he said.

However, Liow said there was no need to postpone or cancel travel plans as the World Health Organisation (WHO) had not given instructions for border closures.

He said the next step following the declaration of the pandemic was to initiate the National Inter-Ministerial Influenza Pandemic Committee, which will meet next week. Joint regional measures would also be undertaken, he said.

Under the WHO definition, the pandemic – the first since the Mexico Flu in 1968 – meant that the A(H1N1) was spreading from human to human in more than one region.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the country would have to look at more stringent measures to contain the outbreak.

“At Level Six, we cannot be doing the same as before,” he said, adding that he would be calling for a press conference today on the matter.

Level Six is WHO’s alert level for a pandemic and is the highest alert level it can issue.

Liow also announced that two more cases of influenza A (H1N1) had been confirmed in Malaysia, bringing the total to 11.

The 10th patient is a 17-year-old girl who returned from a holiday in Melbourne on June 9.

She arrived at KL International Airport on Malaysia Airlines MH148 (seat 14A) at 7.30pm and was immediately referred to the Sungai Buloh Hospital after she was found to have a fever of 38.5°C, cough and sore throat. Test results returned positive the following day. The girl is receiving anti-viral treatment and is in stable condition.

The 11th patient is a 41-year-old woman who returned from Manila via Singapore Airlines SQ192 on June 6. Her flight made a transit stop in Singapore before landing in Penang.

She started showing flu symptoms on June 9 and was warded at the Penang General Hospital the following day. At 9am yesterday, her test results returned positive.

Liow said 178 people were still under home quarantine after being in contact with some of the patients. None of them have shown flu symptoms.

Source:The Star online