Chua: No one infected with bird flu

Star: PENANG: No one in the country has been infected with bird flu so far, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He said the five patients at Sungai Buloh Hospital and two more at the Alor Star Hospital had returned home after testing negative for the virus.
“Two more are under observation in Sungai Buloh and one more in Malacca.
“The patient in Malacca fell sick after returning from Sungai Buloh,” he told newsmen before visiting Taman Tun Sardon flats here with Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting yesterday.
Dr Chua said that, to date, health officers had visited 768 houses and screened 4,608 residents in Sungai Buloh.
He said that during their rounds, 30 residents with upper respiratory infection were placed under home surveillance.
He also said Asia-Pacific health ministers during a recent meeting in Sydney were impressed with Malaysia's success in preventing the virus from infecting humans.
He said the country's success was due to its political commitment and close cooperation between the health and veterinary departments.
“Also, our efforts would be futile without the cooperation of poultry farmers. Many of them readily came forward to assist in our culling operations,” he said.
Also present were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy and Seri Delima assemblyman Datuk Koay Kar Huah.
In Alor Star, state Veterinary Services Department director Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam said samples taken from dead and live fowls from Kampung Padang in Pokok Sena have tested negative for bird flu.
“Although all samples are negative, active surveillance will be carried out continuously in all districts,” he said yesterday.
Kedah went on high alert on Friday when two brothers developed high fever after returning from their grandfather’s house in Kampung Padang in Mukim Gajah Mati, where at least 30 chickens had died over a period of one month.
Ahmad Adam Aimy Ahmad Halimy, three, and his brother Ahmad Ariff, 18 months, are being kept isolated in a ward in Alor Star Hospital as a precaution. Their fever has gone.
Dr Chua said in a statement that the brothers were suffering from acute respiratory infection.
Kedah health department director Dr Hasnah Ismail said that although the fowl samples had been found to be negative for bird flu virus, the two boys would only be discharged on the Health Ministry’s advice.