Monday, April 19, 2010

Malaysia: Health Ministry Continues To Monitor H1N1 Mutation - Liow

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The Influenza A (H1N1) virus in the country has not mutated but the Health Ministry has taken measures to monitor the situation, minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Monday.

"We monitor from time to time to see whether the virus has mutated, which could have dire consequences.

"For the time being there, is no mutation and we are still at level 0, with a death rate of 0.04 per cent, but the rate of infection is still high," said Liow.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Battlefield Healthcare Life Demonstration in conjunction with the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2010 exhibition here, he said most people were immune to certain types of flu but not H1N1 which was why it spread easily.

"I'm confident the disease can be contained, although infection is fast, if we can we improve our treatment and quickly treat symptoms," he said.

Liow said the total number of H1N1 cases had increased to 13,158, with 31 new cases recorded today.

There are 550 patients who are being treated in hospitals, of which 66 are positive for H1N1, he said.

"The number of people being treated in the intensive care units (ICU) has increased by 13 cases, 10 of which involve those in the high-risk group, and yesterday one cluster was reported in a school, where two of its students were admitted to the Kuala Kubu Bharu Hospital," he added.

Regarding the death of a four-year-old child in Sibu yesterday, Liow said although the child was infected by H1N1, a bacteria attack and blood infection were also detected.

"He experienced complications which caused his death. His death is said to be in the second category because it was not caused directly by H1N1, but because it was due to some other bacteria," he said.

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