Saturday, April 3, 2010

Malaysia: H1N1 Cluster (Mother & Daugher) Die

UALA KUBU BARU: A 54-year-old woman and her 29-year-old daughter died of Influenza A (H1N1) related illnesses at the Malacca Hospital on March 31 and Friday respectively.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai who confirmed the cases here Saturday, said both deaths were due to complications and were not direct H1N1 deaths.

Currently, the total H1N1 death remained at 77 cases, excluding the latest two cases, he told reporters after being briefed by the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital staff.

Liow explained that the woman who had diabetes tested positive with the H1N1 virus when she was admitted at the hospital on March 31.

It was her diabetes, he said that had led to the complication of severe metabolicacidosis, causing an infection to the kidney and its eventual failure.

“Therefore, her death was due to diabetes complication,” he added.

The victim’s 29-year-old daughter was 36 weeks pregnant and was admitted on the same day at the hospital where she was diagnosed with Foetal Distress Syndrome. Later she showed symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) and tested positive with H1N1.

Urging the public not to panic, Liow said it was not a second outbreak of the virus.

He, however, said the ministry would issue a media statement every Wednesday or update on the situation to the media regularly.

“I hope everyone would take care of themselves and not to be in a crowd if they have fever and cough,” said Liow, reminding hospital management and medical officers to be on alert for suspected A(H1N1) cases.

Meanwhile, BERNAMA reported Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom urging schools to take preventive measures to check the spread of A(H1N1).

“I urge schools to refer to the Education Ministry circular as the directive remained the same as that issued last year,” he told reporters after the opening of the National Co-curriculum Gala 2010 by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Kem Tangok in Bachok, Kelantan here Saturday.

Alimuddin said the Health Ministry reported a rising trend for H1N1 since three weeks ago with 50 positive cases weekly.

Liow had said that there were 10 influenza like illness (ILI) cluster cases reported in Kelantan, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Malacca last week.

They were at SK Selat Bagan Nyior, Pulau Dayang Bunting, Langkawi (48), SM Teknik Langkawi (43), Purnama Beach Resort, Pulau Pangkor (31) and SMK Langkawi Pulau Tuba, Langkawi (30 cases).

Hat-tip tetano

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