Anti-viral drugs at early stage of the flu

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Anyone with flu-like symptoms and with high fever that persists for more than 48 hours should now be treated with anti-viral drugs, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
The Health Minister said this was a change from the previous policy of prescribing the drugs only when patients showed symptoms and were suspected to have contracted the A (H1N1) virus.
He said the ministry had directed all public and private hospitals to administer immediate treatment to these patients.
Liow said there were three groups involved — those with influenza-like symptoms and suffering from underlying medical conditions; with symptoms and high fever that persist for more than two days; and those who tested positive for In-fluenza A (H1N1).
To reduce congestion at public hospitals, he said private hospitals had been told to conduct rapid tests on patients.
“We urge doctors to give seven days’ medical leave if the patient is tested positive,” he said, and advised those who received treatment to isolate themselves and wear masks.
Liow said 98% of all A (H1H1) patients recovered, but the concern was for those in the high-risk group who needed immediate treatment.
The death rate among those infected was 0.1% and this was not above the fatality rate in other countries, he added.
Liow said there were seven deaths since Aug 7, and they were aged between four months and 92 years. All had high-risk factors - severe pneumonia, diabetes, heart disease, low immunity and congenital disease.
There was one death last Friday, two on Monday, and four on Tuesday. According to information from the ministry, except for one, all the patients had severe pneumonia.
He said a total of 51 patients, confirmed with the virus, were being warded, with 29 others admitted to the intensive care unit.
Of the 29, 16 were in the high-risk group with 12 suffering from chronic diseases.
Asked if those who are obese would be in the high-risk group, the minister said “only if they had low immunity”.
Liow said it was not practical to temporarily close down schools when there were cases.
“If we declare a school closed, there might be another case and the school would be closed again,” he said, adding that students might also contract the disease outside the school.
Asked if schools should declare early school holidays when exams were over, Liow said it was up to the Education Ministry to decide that.