2nd A(H1N1)-related death in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA (July 27, 2009): Malaysia recorded its second death related to Influenza A(H1N1) when a 46-year-old man, who was confirmed positive with the virus, died in a private hospital here on Sunday after seven days of intensive care.

Ismail Merican

A statement from the Health Ministry said the man‘s death was caused by severe pneumonia with respiratory and renal failure.

Its director-general Tan Sri Mohd Ismail Merican said the victim was working in Belgium and arrived here on July 4 and developed fever and cough upon returning from his holiday in Langkawi on July 13.

"He obtained treatment in a private hospital in Petaling Jaya on July 16. His x-ray test showed he had pneumonia," he said.

"This case was referred to another private hospital in Subang Jaya on July 19 for intensive care treatment and was confirmed positive for A(H1N1) on July 23."

About 18 of the man’s contacts have been identified and only one of them has symptoms of tonsillitis.

Mohd Ismail said it is the only death in the 49 new cases detected in the past 24 hours, 29 of which were from nine new cluster transmissions.

The total number of cases in the country has escalated to 1,124 cases. Of these, 1,103 cases (98%) have recovered while the rest are receiving antiviral treatment at various hospitals and at home.

All the nine clusters were reported in schools and higher learning institutions in various states.

Wee Ka Siong

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the Ministry has allocated RM3.6 million to provide A(H1N1) infection prevention kits to schools nationwide, Bernama reports.

"This is the best step in the ministry's effort to prevent H1N1. Wearing face masks and using sanitisers are also part of an exercise in hygiene among students," he told reporters after attending a briefing on H1N1 developments at the Johor Education Department yesterday.

He said every school would receive a thermometer while the number of masks and sanitisers supplied would depend on the number of students in a school.

In Penang, Environment, Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said there was a rumour that the Industrial Training Institute in Nibong Tebal was closed but he did not confirm the rumour as there was no confirmation of any A(H1N1) cases there as yet.

"We are still waiting for the latest information from the Health Ministry and we will need to investigate before making any confirmation so that we will not cause panic among the public," he said.

H1N1 statistics:
New Cases: 49 (all local transmissions with nine clustered transmission)
Death: 2
--- Sun2 Surf