Materia Medica Malaysiana

Database on patients with SARS, bird flu symptoms:

A nationwide database on patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and avian flu symptoms is being planned.

Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng said the Government was concerned about the reemergence of SARS in China and the avian flu outbreak in 10 countries that had claimed 10 lives. The ministry's concern came in the wake of fears in Vietnam that pigs may have caught the bird flu which could result in a new and powerful strain that could be passed on to humans.

"The compilation of database on patients with SARS and avian flu symptoms is part of our national surveillance programme to ensure no one in the country is infected with the diseases," Chua said at his Chinese New Year open house in Bukit Damansara today.

He said government hospitals, clinics and health centres had been told to start compiling information of patients, including foreigners, coming in with the symptoms. They were also told to ask if the patients had been to countries affected by SARS and avian flu.

"Specimens from patients suffering from the symptoms such as atypical pneumonia will be sent for laboratory tests," he said.

Government hospitals, clinics and health centres have to send their database, including laboratory test results, to their State Health Departments which in turn will send the data to the ministry.

"We will then study if there has been a dip or rise in the number of people suffering from flu, atypical influenza and atypical pneumonia. The report will also reveal whether the victims were suffering from normal pneumonia or whether there is a need for concern," he added.

An AFP report today said that Beijing had reported a new confirmed case of SARS, bringing the number of confirmed cases in China to four.

Meanwhile, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have reported outbreaks of avian flu in poultry, while Taiwan and Pakistan have reported weaker strains of the virus.

The virus has claimed 10 lives, eight in Vietnam and two in Thailand.

"Private hospitals and clinics will also help in the national surveillance," said Chua.

Asked whether the avian flu was more serious than SARS, Chua said it was not as the flu was transmitted from poultry to humans, and not from human to human.

"Although no cases of SARS or avian flu have been reported so far, the nation is on the alert with tight security at the borders to prevent the smuggling of livestock from affected countries."