A (H1N1) claims six more lives

Two babies and a pregnant woman are among six new cases of influenza A (H1N1) deaths.
The six are a 10-month-old baby girl, a one-year-old baby boy, a pregnant 18-year-old woman, a 24-year-old man and two other men in their 60s.

The baby girl died from severe broncho-pneumonia while the baby boy died because of heart complications and pneumonia.

The boy had undergone heart surgery at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur before being referred to the government hospital for further treatment.

The pregnant woman died from severe pneumonia, while the 24-year-old man died from pneumonia and septicemia. The 60-year-old man who died had diabetes, hypertension and heart problems and was admitted because of fever and cough.

The sixth victim was a cancer-striken 62-year-old man, who was also a diabetic. He died from severe pneumonia.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who released the details at a press conference here yesterday, said that some 76 patients were being treated in isolation wards while another 21 were in the intensive care unit.

On another matter, Liow said schools should not close unless a high number of their teachers and students were absent because of A (H1N1) infection.

He said headmasters would determine whether the schools could function or not, after following advice from the state health directors and informing state education directors.
He also urged producers, suppliers and traders of mask and hand sanitisers to be responsible and not simply increase prices.

Meanwhile, Suhakam urged the Govern-ment to take definite steps to increase public awareness about the pandemic.

The commission, in a statement yesterday, expressed concern over the worsening situation, especially the state of preparation of public health defence.

In Johor Baru, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) graduates attending the university’s 43rd convocation this weekend have been told to fill up a health declaration form stating that they are free from influenza A (H1N1) virus.

In Kuantan, the Regent of Pahang’s consort Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar, who has contracted the virus along with their five children, said she had received various SMSes of support.

The Star 13/08/09