Chua: Virus will be renamed

Star: LABIS: The recently discovered Melaka Virus will be renamed, but a new name has yet to be identified.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the new name of the virus would be given according to the list of guidelines drafted by an international committee.
“We may name it according to the place where the patient infected with the virus is from,” said Dr Chua, who is Labis MP.
The virus, spread by bats, infected a family of four in Bemban, Malacca, last year, and its symptoms are high fever, sore throat and cough, among others.
Scientists deemed it a new virus discovery and called it the Melaka Virus recently. This immediately triggered a protest from the Malacca Chief Minister, prompting a move to rename the virus.
Dr Chua said: “We will rename the virus if we can as we do not want to tarnish the good name of the state.”
Previously, a new virus was named after the scientist who discovered it but this was no longer practised in the field, he said.
Dr Chua was speaking to reporters after opening the TNB sub-station in Kampung Orang Asli Kemidak, about 20km from Bekok here.
The sub-station will provide electricity to 49 houses in the village as well as Kampung Orang Asli Selai, some two kilometres away.
The villagers had been relying on oil lamps and generators before electricity supply was connected to their homes last month.
Also present were Bekok state assemblyman Tan Kok Hong and Tenang state assemblyman Sulaiman Taha.