Materia Medica Malaysiana

‘Malaysia on alert over re-emergence of bird flu’, Dr Chua

The re-emergence of the bird flu in Vietnam and Thailand has prompted the Health Ministry to put its medical staff on 24-hour alert.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said all medical staff had been put on alert in the 135 government hospitals and more than 4,000 health clinics nationwide to look out for patients with the avian flu symptoms - flu, sore throat, fever, cough or running nose.
“If they notice a sudden increase in people showing these symptoms, they are to immediately check if there has been an unusual number of deaths of birds in the area the victims come from,” he added.
It is a must for all hospitals and health clinics to immediately alert the State Health Departments if they came across suspected avian flu cases, Chua said after presenting the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Halal certification to Sime Oleandar Sdn Bhd for its mineral water plant in Kuching.
He added that it was mandatory for all State Health Departments, private hospitals and clinics to notify the ministry’s Communicable Disease Control Division in Putrajaya of suspected bird flu cases.
“Even a one per cent increase in the number of people seeking treatment for influenza in a particular centre needs to be investigated.”