Officers check Setapak homes

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Health officers are going from house to house to check for flu symptoms among the residents within a 300m radius of the area in Jalan Genting Klang in Setapak where 40 kampung (free range) chickens died of the H5N1 strain of the avian flu.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), one of the 21 centres designated to care for bird flu patients, had been put on standby.
“Our staff from the Federal Territory health division and officers from City Hall will be checking on residents there for any signs of fever or flu, and if necessary we will refer them to HKL,” he told reporters after launching the National Nutritional Policy here yesterday.
“We have also asked the Institute for Medical Research to be prepared to test large samples for signs of the virus.”
At press time, nine people aged between seven months and 57 have been warded at HKL for observation. They showed symptoms of flu, including cough and fever.
Dr Chua advised the public not to panic and to remain calm over the latest incidents.
“We have yet to determine the number of houses or staff involved in this operation. We are giving them a guarantee that our staff at federal and district levels are ready to deal with any eventuality,” he said.
“I want to advise the public not to listen to rumours. We will follow the Prime Minister’s directive and be transparent about bird flu cases.
“So far, no cases of infection among humans have been detected,” he stressed.
Dr Chua said the Veterinary Services Department had also been directed to cull chickens that might have been infected as soon as possible.
“This is to prevent chicken breeders from attempting to hide their livestock,” he said, adding that farmers who felt sick or feverish should also go to hospital for a check-up.
On Jan 9, the Government laun-ched the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan to tackle the possibility of avian flu being detected in the country. Under the plan, farmers are encouraged to report to the authorities any deaths of poultry.
A simulation exercise to test the national preparedness for avian flu was to have taken place next month.
Meanwhile, demand for Tamiflu, one of the four drugs that work against the flu, rose in Setapak and Gombak pharmacies.
“There was a rush for the drug when I opened for business this morning (yesterday),” a pharmacist operating in Gombak said.
He said people were worried and “stocking up the drug as a precautionary measure.”