Materia Medica Malaysiana

BIRD FLU: Clean bill of health for three

Kelantan State Medical Health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Datuk Ahmad Mahir said the three people were discharged yesterday after tests showed they did not have the bird flu virus.

Speaking to newsmen after launching a State-level hepatitis awareness campaign, today Dr Ahmad Razin said samples taken from a 16-year-old girl, her mother and a veterinary officer were sent to the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) and came back yesterday, positively clearing all three.

Student Siti Munirah Ismail and her mother Fatimah Che Haron, 40, are from Kampung Baru, Pasir Pekan in Tumpat, where the virus was detected in the carcasses of two kampung chickens, while veterinary officer Rosnani Awang was involved in the culling of birds and chickens on Thursday.

They had been isolated at a special ward for observation after complaining of fever and cough.

Despite the good news, health authorities reaffirmed that they would not take any chances.

Another veterinary officer, Dr Zarina Mohamed, 32, was admitted to the Kota Baru Hospital complaining of a sore throat and cough.

Her children, aged between two and six, years were also admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward on Saturday as a precaution.

In Seremban, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the official and her children did not have any fever.

“The results of throat swabs taken from the family will only be known tonight.

“If the tests are negative, the official and her children will be discharged tomorrow.

“Right now, they are still under supervision by the hospital authorities.”

Dr Chua called on the public not to worry as everything was under control.

“We are not hiding anything at all. So far, there are no human beings suffering from the disease. Only chickens had the disease, not humans.”

He advised the public not to listen to rumours.

“The outbreak of avian flu is only confined to Tumpat,” Dr Chua said, adding that his confidence was based on the round-the-clock effort by his Ministry, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry and other authorities to check the disease.

“I have full confidence that the disease will not spread to other areas.”

To contain the virus in the village in Tumpat, residents in the area are not allowed to resume rearing chickens or birds for at least three weeks, the Veterinary Services Department announced yesterday.

Its director-general, Datuk Dr Hawari Hussein, said to ensure the virus did not re-appear or spread, the department had also disinfected the areas where chickens and birds had been culled. — NST