A(H1N1): Death toll increases to 14

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Health authorities urged the public not to panic and stepped up measures to contain the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak as the virus claimed its 14th fatality.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said that as of 8am Thursday, the death toll had reached 14, the latest casualty being a 57-year-old pensioner who was a diabetic and suffered from hypertension.
He was warded at the intensive care unit at the Putrajaya Hospital on Aug 4 and succumbed to acute pulmonary oedema on Wednesday.
Health authorities also recorded 16 new cases in the last 24 hours; all were local tranmissions with two new clusters reported. The number of people who have been infected in Malaysia stood at 1,492.
Dr Ismail also said that beginning Friday, all government hospitals, clinics and 22 private hospitals nationwide would be supplied with the Tamiflu anti-viral medication. Private clinics would be able to obtain their supply from the relevant pharmaceutical suppliers.
“The suppliers have given us the assurance that there is sufficient supply of anti-viral medication. However, I would like to warn doctors not to use the drugs as prophylaxis or medication to prevent one from getting the flu.
“This is because not only have such measures proven to be ineffective, they will also cause resistance to the medication as reported in the United States, Hong Kong, Mexico, Japan, Denmark and Canada.
“This move will also deplete the resources for such medication. Pharmacists are also warned not to sell the anti-viral drugs to the public without a doctor’s prescription,” Dr Ismail said.
Dr Ismail also said that not all who have developed flu-like symptoms need to be tested for A(H1N1) and urged the public not to panic or feel upset if hospitals send them home without taking throat swabs.
He said only those who were warded in hospitals and in high-risk groups would be tested for the flu.
“The technical commitee had decided on this because each day, the Institute of Medical Research is flooded with at least 500 applications for A(H1N1) tests and 80% to 90% are tested negative.
“We want to prevent wastage and overloading so that the institute can concentrate on detecting genuine cases and conduct tests which are more important and crucial,” he told a press conference Thursday.
Dr Ismail added that apart from conducting tests to confirm Influenza A(H1N1), the IMR was also responsible for looking for new virus strains and determining if the present virus is resistant to anti-viral medication.
He noted that so far, tests to determine both had been negative.
Dr Ismail also advised doctors and healthcare practitioners to be vigilant and take precautionary measures to prevent themselves from being infected with the flu after close contact with patients.
He added that unlike the SARS outbreak where none of the healthcare personnel were infected, the A(H1N1) flu had caused a few to fall ill.
He said the public has an important role to play to curtail the spread and must heed medical advice, especially when asked to go under home quarantine.
“One should not go out when asked to remain at home. Even when inside the house, one should confine himself to a room and strictly minimise contact with the rest of the household.
“I cannot impress enough how important it is for members of the public to be responsible and not to infect others when they are down with the flu, cough or cold, and to maintain high levels of hygiene,” he said.