Malaysia - Assorted Illnesses April 30, 2009 +

[Treyfish]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="95%"><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle><TABLE class=tsTable border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=tsBody>38 down with meningitis, hospital steps up precautions

KUALA LUMPUR (May 12, 2009) : The Malacca Hospital has been told to step up precautions with 38 patients now down with a strain of meningitis, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said today. <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 borderColor=silver cellPadding=2 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD>
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai shakes hand with the nurses
after launching the International Nurses' Day Celebration and Seminar.
Also present were Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican (right).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>"The directive is to ensure that the infection doesnot spread. The hospital has reported that the number of patients with meningitis has gone up to 38. Thirty-three patients in the isolation ward are from the Road Transport Department (RTD) training centre, two remain in the intensive care unit, while three are not from the RTD centre," he added.
He said there were three new cases but they were not directly linked to the RTD training centre in Malacca.
"Among the three, two are hospital staff (radiographers), so I have directed that more protection be given to the staff. The third person is the fiancee of one of the (RTD trainees in the isolation ward," he said, adding that 85 remained under observation at the centre
" We have to contain the situation, so more precautions would be adopted. We are monitoring the situation in Malacca to ensure it doesn't spread," said Liow, adding that efforts to trace the source and the original carrier were underway.
Liow also reassured the public that the ministry was not letting up on efforts to keep Influenza A H1N1 out of Malaysia.
"Our fight against Infuenza H1N1 will continue. Although the outbreak seems a bit mild, it cannot be taken for granted. I have directed my ministry officials to continue with our efforts to protect the nation from any outbreak," he said.
"Our preventive efforts at all the entry points will continue and we have to treat this as a long-term battle because we are worried about the second wave which can come any time," said Liow, adding that public education would remain as part of the ministry's plan to counter any entrance of H1N1 into Malaysia.
Liow, who spoke at a press conference after launching the International Nurses' Day Celebration and Seminar here today, said Malaysia was still facing a shortage of nurses, and the ministry hoped to fix the problem by 2015.
"Currently we have a total of 90 nursing colleges in government and private sector, training over 6,000 nurses a year. We estimate that in 2015, we will achieve our goal of a ratio of one nurse for every 200 people. Now, it is 1:375," said Liow.
He added that there is a demand for specialist and sub-specialist nurses to satisfy the growing diversity in modern medicine.
"There is a shortage of specialist nurses in sub-specialties. The need for specialist nurses is increasing in line with the increasing specialisation of medical practice today.
"About 30% to 40% of nurses are working in specialist areas, such as intensive care, coronary care and paediatric care. All these nurses need post-basic training.
"We are also moving into more new areas, such as HIV counselling, genetic counselling, neuro-radiology intervention," he said, supporting the Malaysian Nurses Association (MNA)'s efforts to encourage more youths of all races to take up nursing as a career.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=33365</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/13/nation/3887702&sec=nation

Wednesday May 13, 2009
Liow: Health authorities trying to trace meningitis carrier

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of people hospitalised with suspected meningitis in Malacca Hospital rose to 38 on Tuesday, from 31 the day before.

This brings the number hospitalised nationwide to 39 including one Road Transport Department (JPJ) academy trainee hospitalised in Kepala Batas who is in stable condition.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said four of the new patients who developed symptoms were trainees who had been quarantined at the academy hostel in Tiang Dua, Malacca.

Two more are radiographers while another is the fiancee of one of the trainees, he said, adding that all of them were in the isolation ward while the two trainees in Intensive Care Unit were now able to walk.

?The source of infection has not been discovered and we are working hard to find the carrier,? he said yesterday after the International Nurses? Day celebration.

On whether the family members of the trainee?s fiancee needed to be quarantined, Liow said the Ministry would find out if they had been in contact.

On the influenza A(H1N1) virus, Liow said Malaysia was keeping a check on its borders and that there was enough Tamiflu stocked up in the event the flu hits Malaysia.

?I have told the health director-general to step up precautionary efforts so that hospital staff do not get infected,? he said adding that they were monitoring the situation closely.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said surveillance against the disease was constantly being beefed up with more thermal scanners placed at entry points.

?There are updates in the Ministry website, apart from calling the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre for information.

?As of today, Malaysia remains free of the infection as no cases are detected on our shores,? he said, adding that on Monday 6,440 individuals, most of whom entered the country via airports, were s creening and none were referred to hospitals. A total of 55,002 air passengers have been screened so far.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement urged non-essential travel to the United States, Mexico, Canada, Spain and Britain to be deferred because 96.8% of reported A (H1N1) cases are from these countries.

Travellers, it said must especially defer going to Illinois, Wisconsin and California in the US.

If trips to these places are unavoidable, travellers are advised to consult physicians for seasonal flu vaccination.

Travellers should also inform the nearest Malaysian mission of their whereabouts

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2555730/Article/index_html

2009/05/13
'No mask' order angers parents

MALACCA: The parent-teacher association of a school in Tiang Dua is furious over the Education Ministry's directive that students and teachers need not wear masks to school as there "was no threat" from the bacterial meningitis outbreak at the Road Transport Department Academy.
The school, Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Tiang Dua, which has 160 pupils, is located just two kilometres from the academy.

The students and teachers were required to wear masks at all times when they were in school and the surrounding areas, following a decision taken by the PTA, the school authorities and parents on Sunday night.

A parent, who declined to be identified, said the ministry's decision early yesterday showed that the authorities did not care for the children, who were much more vulnerable to any infection compared with adults.

Checks at the school at about 11am revealed that the students and teachers were no longer wearing the masks.
State education director Isa Abu said that he received the directive yesterday.

He said the ministry was given an assurance by the Health Ministry that bacterial meningitis was not airborne and that the distance between the school and academy was not near enough to warrant masks to be worn.

"It was also mentioned that the wearing of masks would create panic among the people in the surrounding areas."

Tiang Dua village headman Chan Kwong Wu, when met at the school, said he had received numerous complaints from parents distressed after being told that their children were told to stop wearing the masks.

"The parents have said that if their children were not allowed to wear masks, then they would not send them to school for the time being," Chan said.

It is learnt that the director-general of Education Datuk Alimuddin Md Dom and health department officials would visit the school today to address the matter.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2555629/Article/index_html

2009/05/13
Family being monitored for symptoms

SEREMBAN: A family of four are being monitored by the state Health Department after a relative, who is now suspected to be infected with bacterial meningitis, visited them before the outbreak of the disease.
Department director Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said regular checks on symptoms of the disease were conducted after they were informed of the trainee's visit earlier this month.

"The trainee had gone to visit the family, who are residents here, and he is now being quarantined for bacterial meningitis in the Malacca Hospital.

"For now the family will be monitored from time to time since they have come in contact with the patient. We will look out for the symptoms.

"I would also advise those who have had contact with the patients, to get a medical examination at the nearest health clinic," he said, adding that common symptoms were high fever, cough and headache.
He was speaking after the Tuanku Ampuan Besar Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud, paid an official visit to the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, here, yesterday.

He added the family was not quarantined because they did not show any symptoms consistent with the disease.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Columns/2555399/Article/index_html

2009/05/13
EDITORIAL: Demystifying disease

WHEN there is an outbreak or even the likelihood of one, health authorities are duty-bound to act quickly and decisively in accordance with prevention strategies in place. In this regard, they have acted commendably to contain the spread of bacterial meningitis in Tiang Dua, Malacca. Those infected have been duly quarantined and treated, and the rest of the worried populace kept abreast of the latest developments. That the government has been generous with the details -- from the statistics, mode of transmission to the measures taken to confine the disease within the Road Transport Department Academy -- is praiseworthy. The authorities exhibited this same exemplary attitude in their handling of Influenza A (H1N1), a contagion which has now spread to more than 30 nations. Malaysia remains free from A, a testament to the vigilance employed by the authorities at all points of entry into the country.
Indeed, Malaysia has managed to shield itself from several dreaded diseases -- the most virulent being bird flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -- in recent years. Much of it has to do with the country's efficient preparedness, prevention and response plan to outbreaks. There is a framework in place for multi-sectoral response and this has helped ensure all resources are mobilised and used efficiently during and after an outbreak. Teams of experts can be immediately deployed in the face of impending health threats. However, what is most laudable is the openness that is, and has been, demonstrated by the government in the dissemination of information. When even the Air Pollutant Index was once shrouded in secrecy, attempts now to be more transparent , through daily briefings and updates, are welcome. Certainly, Malaysians need to be sufficiently armed with information as this will, to a large extent, help keep the pestilence at bay. Even common sense dictates that the people must be fully aware of what they have to contend with in order to ward off threats to their health and safety.

With a well-informed public, the authorities can stave off panic and the people, on their part, can do their utmost to keep themselves healthy. Cover-ups have cost lives. It was probably no coincidence that the three countries worst affected by bird flu then -- Vietnam, China and Thailand -- were the three that had been the least transparent about its spread. Information can help immunise the public from fear, enable them to put the pieces of the jigsaw together, look at the issue in perspective as more data trickles in, and minimise the influence of speculation.

This is an EDITORIAL printed in THE NEW STRAITS TIMES ONLINE. There is no journalists name published.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

Hat-tip Treyfish

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Passage of the ancient city of meningitis <BR> wearing masks from the institute to drink herbal tea 3 Dr. Kenneth Lai villagers to avoid bacteria
一道禁令下，學生恢復未戴口罩上課的日子。 Together under the ban, students did not wear a mask to restore school day.
（馬六甲12日訊）戴口罩、多喝涼茶、避免經過陸路交通局學院，丁賴新村村民三招避開腦膜炎病 菌來襲。 (Malacca hearing on the 12th) to wear masks, drink herbal tea to avoid land Transportation Institute, Ding Lai villagers Village Tips to avoid incoming meningitis bacteria.

自隔鄰的陸路交通局學院爆發腦膜炎疫情后，丁賴新村村民紛紛戴口罩及勤喝涼茶自保，希望遠離病 菌。 Since the Department of Transportation land adjacent to School after the outbreak of epidemic meningitis, Ding Lai Village and the villagers have to wear a mask to protect ground to drink herbal tea, hoping to stay away from germs.

村民也儘量避免經過陸路交通局學院，即使前往工作地點必須經過該學院，村民都在經過時戴上口罩，或乾脆休息 幾天。 After the villagers also try to avoid land Transportation Institute, to work even after the college, after all, when the villagers wear masks, or simply rest a few days.

一些村民也勸告在外工作的孩子，暫時勿回鄉，直至事件平息。 Some villagers are also advised to work outside the home of the child, not a temporary home until the matter be settled.

小孩盡量留家中 Children to stay home

61歲的吳亞高（村民，經營果園）坦言，腦膜炎的事件讓村民感到擔憂，他平常都求神拜佛，希望疫情不會擴散 到新村，平時在外走動，也特別小心，小孩也儘量留在家中，避免外出。 61-year-old high-Ya Wu (village, orchard operators) frankly, meningitis villagers worried about the incident, he usually pray that there would be no epidemic spread to the Village, usually out walking, but also special care, children have to stay at home, avoid going out.

?尤其騎摩哆經過陸路交通局學院前時，我和太太都會戴上口罩。? "Especially after riding Motors Institute Department of Transportation prior to the land, I will wear a mask and his wife."

他說，他們每3天都會煲一次涼茶飲用以消暑。 He said that they would burn every three days to drink a herbal tea to cool.

52歲的陳秀春指出，村外爆發了疫情，村民不可能不擔心，她除了買口罩自保，也儘量避免經過有關學 院。 52-year-old陈秀春pointed out that the outbreak of the epidemic outside the village, the villagers can not worry that she bought a mask to protect, but also try to avoid through the institution.

勸告親友暫勿回鄉 Do not advise friends and relatives in their hometowns temporary

?我去我工作的果園時，必須經過學院，過去兩三天，我因擔心而不敢到果園，休息了數天后，今日是首次去（果 園），當然有戴上口罩。? "I went to the orchard where I work, when to go through college, in the past 23 days, I do not dare for fear of the orchard, rest for a few days later, today is the first time to (Orchard), of course, wear a mask."

她說，許多在外地工作的親友從報章處獲悉此事，都紛紛致電詢問，她一般勸告親友暫時勿回鄉，避免不必要的問 題。 She said that many relatives and friends working in the field learned from the newspapers this matter have been asked to call her relatives and friends the time being the general advice not to return to their hometowns to avoid unnecessary problems.

她還說，她已不敢到丁賴警局附近的馬來餐室與雜貨店，因為該處更靠近學院，而且常有學院的保安人員到該處用 餐，她擔心可能受到感染。 She added that she had not dare to rely on the police station near the small dining room and store Malay, because the closer to college, and college security personnel are often to the meal, she might become infected.

此外，在泰國從商的新加坡人李柯富（60歲）到丁賴新村探望老友，他住在該村已三四天，他指出，目前還不擔 心安全問題，但他會儘量小心，並準備買口罩應對。 In addition, business in Thailand, Singapore柯富Lee (60) to visit an old friend of Ding Village Lai, he was living in the village has 34 days, he pointed out that security issues are not worried, but he will try to be careful and be prepared buy masks to deal with.

交局學院保安未被隔離村民不滿恐散播病菌 School Security Bureau to pay villagers not satisfied with the isolation of bacteria may spread

丁賴新村村民不滿，陸路交通局學院的保安人員未被隔離，反之還可隨意走動，令村民擔心他們可能散播腦膜炎病 菌。 Kenneth Lai villagers Village dissatisfaction Transportation Institute of the land has not been isolated security personnel, on the contrary can also move around freely, so that the villagers fear that they may spread the bacteria meningitis.

村民吳亞高認為，既然陸路交通局學院已遭隔離，在內的所有工作人員也不能外出，他們卻看到保安人員出外買東 西，還到不遠處用餐，村民擔心保安人員使用的碗碟或餐具，可能沾有腦膜炎的病菌，都不敢到有關 餐室用餐。 Ya Wu villagers high that since the land has been isolated Transportation Institute, including all staff can not go out, they see the security personnel to go out to buy things, but also not far from the meal, the villagers fear the use of security personnel of the bowl plates or cutlery, the bacteria may be stained with meningitis are afraid that the dining-room dining.

?保安人員一般都到新村旁警察局附近的馬來餐室，用餐或買東西，我們怕被傳染，都暫時不敢再到那裡附近的雜 貨店或餐室。? "Security personnel are generally near a police station next to the Village of Malay dining, dining or shopping, we fear of infection, all the time being there did not dare to nearby grocery store or dining room."

趕走腦膜炎瘟疫丁賴新村或辦祈福會 Lai Ding off plague meningitis Village or blessing will do

丁賴新村或辦祈福會，以趕走腦膜炎這瘟疫！ Kenneth Lai Village or blessing to do so, in order to drive this epidemic meningitis!

該村村長蔣光武指出，雖然瘟疫未在新村內爆發，卻因為靠近疫區，除了靠當局透過隔離防範，村民只能自求多福 ，他鼓勵村民，依據本身宗教信仰自行祈禱，祈求庇佑。 Guangwu the head of Chiang pointed out that although the epidemic has not erupted in the Village, but as close to infected areas, in addition to relying on the authorities to guard against through the isolation, the villagers can only hope for the best, he encouraged the villagers, according to their own religious beliefs to pray blessing.

他說，如果有關疫情無法控制並繼續惡化，他打算召集村民辦一場祈福大會，希望神明顯靈，趕走瘟 疫。 He said that if the epidemic can not control and has continued to deteriorate, the villagers of his intention to convene the General Assembly to do a blessing, I hope the gods appeared to drive away the plague.

他透露，該新村在去年中，就遭到基孔肯雅症的擊，約8成老村民都患病。 He disclosed that the Village in the middle of last year, it was disease Chikungunya hit about 8 into the old village are sick.

?一些患病的老人，到現在偶爾服用中藥，以減輕疼痛。? "Some of the elderly sick, and now the occasional use of Chinese medicine to alleviate the pain."

他說，基孔症是黑斑蚊傳播，當時村內家家戶戶都噴射蚊油以滅蚊。 He said that Chikungunya is a black mosquito-borne disease, when the village every household to mosquito larvicidal oil.

?這次的腦膜炎，儘管衛生部指非以蚊子傳播，但中醫的說法卻指與蚊蟲傳播有關，我們已要求廖亞球市議員，安 排市政廳前來噴射蚊霧，希望能加強預防工作。? "This meningitis, although the Ministry of Health refers to non-mosquito-borne, but it means that Chinese medicine and mosquito-borne, and we have asked the ball Liao Ya City Council to arrange to come to City Hall larvicidal fog, hoping to strengthen preventive work."

他勸告村民，儘量勿經過陸路交通局學院，即使非得經過，也最好戴上口罩，以防萬一。 He advised the villagers not to land Transportation Institute, even after must also wear a mask the best, just in case.

?一些村民已聽取勸告，暫時不要經過有關學院，到園地工作，每家每戶準備口罩，以在出門配戴。? "Some villagers have to listen to advice and not through the institution, to the garden work, every household to prepare a mask to wear at home."

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

Treyfish Again Many thanks.

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Updated: May 12, 2009 21:26

關丹沒流感‧市民不恐慌幼兒園做足衛生防範

Kuantan no members of the public not to panic influenza kindergarten ‧ take health precautions
<table align="right" border="0" width="96"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: '細明體';" bgcolor="gainsboro">

腦膜炎症目前沒有入侵關丹，家長安心讓孩子在安親班上學。

There is no invasion of meningococcal disease Kuantan, parents peace of mind to let children learn in the security pro-class. </td></tr></tbody></table>

（關丹12日訊）盡管目前國內尚未有流感病例，而且僅甲州爆發腦膜災，但關丹各幼兒園等一直都做足基本衛生 措施，家長才安心送孩子上學。

(Kuantan hearing on the 12th) even though there is no current cases of influenza and the outbreak of meningitis only a state disaster, but the kindergarten Kuantan has been done, such as basic health measures, parents send their children to school to feel at ease.

自A（H1N1）型流感爆發后，全球各地都採取各項防範措施，全力對抗有關病毒，日前馬六甲又傳出腦膜炎症 ，衛生部長拿督斯里廖中萊今日指出，已有31人被送入甲州中央醫院接受治療。

Since the A (H1N1) influenza broke out, all over the world are taking various preventive measures to fight against the virus, a few days ago came Malacca meningitis disease, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lesotho today that 31 people were into a state of the Central Hospital for treatment.

以消毒水清理

Disinfectant to clean up

記者今日走訪關丹數間學校及幼兒園后，發現學校都非常關注日常的基本衛生。

Kuantan reporters today visited a few schools and kindergartens, we found that schools are very concerned about day-to-day basic sanitation.

市民都冷靜看待問題，沒有恐慌，學校除了如常般注重衛生，並沒有做出特別的防範措施。

People look at the issue calmly, without panic, as the school in addition to the usual emphasis on health, and no special precautions.

關丹阿益布爹日昇幼兒園及托兒所院長林玉鳳（46歲）說，關丹不曾出現任何造成家長恐慌的病例，安長放心讓 孩子上學。

Guan Yi Dan Davis on cloth or child care centers and nurseries林玉凤president (46 years old) said Kuantan parents did not cause panic in any case, security chief at ease to let children go to school.

?學生放學后，我們每天都會以消毒水清理桌椅、地板、牆壁等，以免細菌滋長。?

"The students after school, we disinfectant every day to clean up tables and chairs, floor, walls and so on, in order to avoid the growth of bacteria."

她說，近日有部分家長，特別關注孩子在學校的健康狀況，打電話詢問老師。

She said that recently there are some parents, with special attention to children's health status in the school, call the teacher asked.

她說，該幼兒園有35名4至6歲的學生，若傳出疫情或蔓延的跡象，將申請讓學生暫時停學。

She said that the kindergarten has 35 4-6 year-old student, if the news spread of the disease or signs will be temporarily suspended to allow students to apply.

啟蒙幼兒院院長王玉珍（45歲）說，每日都留意報章報導，以在第一時間做好防範措施。

Wang Yuzhen Enlightenment Academy Child Care (45-year-old) said that the press every day to do a good job in the first preventive measures.

?目前只有在馬六甲發現腦膜炎症狀，關丹市民未覺得緊張或恐慌，但我們會阻止學生共用餐具。?

"At present, only the symptoms of meningitis found in Malacca, Kuantan, the public did not feel that tension or panic, but we will stop students sharing utensils."

灌輸學生基本知識骨痛熱症更令人擔心

Instill a basic knowledge of students is even more worried about dengue

小學生也知道戴口罩防病菌感染！

Primary and secondary school students also know that anti-virus infection to wear a mask!

關丹公民華小校長王祿揚說，他于昨日在周會上詢問學生如何防範感染病毒，學生皆回答?戴口罩? 。

Kuantan王禄扬principal citizens Howard said yesterday he was asked about the students in the week at how to prevent HIV infection, the students are answering the question "wear a mask."

?學生常在報章上看到人群戴口罩的照片，因而得知戴口罩可預防病毒感染。?

"Student newspapers often wear masks to see pictures of the crowd, so that the wear masks to prevent infection."

他說，他昨日也在周會上灌輸學生關于A（H1N1）型流感、骨痛熱症及腦膜炎的基本知識。

He said he week at the meeting yesterday also instill students on the A (H1N1) influenza, dengue and meningitis basic knowledge.

?基本的個人衛生是最佳的防範，惟目前關丹未有腦膜炎病症，反之骨痛熱症已在我國奪去無數的人命，這才令人 擔心。?

"The basic personal hygiene is the best preventive, but not the current meningitis disease Kuantan, on the contrary dengue has claimed countless lives in our country, this is worrying."

他指出，該3種病例都會引起大同小異的病狀，所以學生一旦覺得不適時，應到醫院就醫，盡快接受 治療。

He noted that the three kinds of cases would give rise to similar symptoms, so once the students felt that it was not timely and should go to hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

另一方面，關丹光華小學校長王冠仁說，在傳染病症還未惡化前，學校不應太敏感，以免引起家長的 恐慌及擔心。

On the other hand, Kuantan Sinorama Crown Primary School, said in infectious diseases has not disease before it worsens, the school should not be too sensitive, so as to avoid panic and worried parents.

?目前我校做足基本的衛生措施，一切將聽從衛生部及教育局的指示。?

"At present our school to take basic sanitation measures, and all will obey the instructions of the Ministry of Health and Education."


Note: Kuantan is on the opposite, East Coast of the Malay Peninsula.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=33415

Face masks an issue at Malacca school


Wee Ka Siong
MALACCA (May 13, 2009) : Face masks have become an issue at a Malacca primary school located 300m away from the JPJ training academy hit by a meningitis outbreak.

The question being "debated" is whether the pupils should be allowed cover their mouths and noses in view of the epidemic next door.

Following an order from the education department, pupils of SRJK (C) Tiang Dua have not worn the protective masks in school but worried parents in the village once hit by chikungunya are not happy with the department's action.

The village head has even threatened to call for a boycott of classes for the safety of the pupils if the meningitis situation does not improve.

According to reports in the Chinese press yesterday, following the meningitis outbreak at the JPJ academy last week, the school and its parent-teacher association distributed face masks to about 200 pupils and teachers on Monday.

However, the school stopped the pupils from donning the masks following the directive from the education department on Tuesday.

Tiang Dua village head Chiang Kwang Woo said he was baffled by the department's directive.

"If the pupils get infected with meningitis, villagers will point their fingers at the local community leaders and the school board.

"Lives are at stake. Will the education department take the blame should anyone come down with the infection?" he asked.

He said any preventative measure taken only after the pupils are infected would not serve the purpose.

"Wearing the face mask is a basic precautionary measure, and it will not affect the pupils' lessons," he said, adding that the department should not have issued the directive.

"I will call the school head tomorrow for the latest development. For the safety and health of the residents, I will urge parents to stop sending their children to school for the time being should the meningitis outbreak at the academy worsen."

The villagers cannot be faulted for being apprehensive over the meningitis outbreak as some 80% of them were victims of a chikungunya epidemic some time ago.

In fact, according to Chiang, some elderly villagers have not completely recovered from the disease.


Alimuddin Mohd Dom
"Although the Health Ministry says meningitis cannot be spread by mosquitoes, Chinese sinseh think otherwise. For the safety of our children, I have urged them to wear face masks while outdoors," he said.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry was acting on the advice of the health department which decided that the pupils need not wear face masks.

He said the ministry was worried that the wearing of face masks would create unnecessary panic among the public.

"If the pupils wear masks, the press will surely take pictures of them and play up the story. Panicky parents will stop their children from going to school," he said.

Malacca education director Isa Abu said the department issued the order on the directive of the ministry.

He said the Health Ministry had assured the Education Ministry that the meningitis outbreak was under control.

Furthermore, he said, meningitis is not caused by virus but by bacteria infection which spreads only through close contact.

As such, there is no risk of the pupils getting infected by the meningitis bacteria affecting JPJ trainees at the academy.

Meanwhile, Education Director-General Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom advised parents of Tiang Dua not to stop their children from going to school over the directive.

He was worried that a boycott would lead to disciplinary problems.

"The experts have pointed out that meningitis bacteria will only spread within a metre of the infected person. As the school is quite far from the academy, parents should not worry (about the safety of their children)," he added.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Diplococci 41 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/NewsBreak/20090513183937/Article/index_html

Meningitis outbreak: Number of cases now 46

<!--start pix1--> <!--end pix1--> PUTRAJAYA, Wed:
THE number of trainees from the Road Transport Department (RTD) Academy in Malacca who are being treated at the Melaka Hospital following an epidemic suspected to be meningitis rose to 46 today from 38 cases yesterday.
<!--start pix2 & pix3--> <table align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" width="200"> </table> <!--end pix2 & pix3-->The Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, said of the total, two cases were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward and they were expected to be taken out of the ICU ward tomorrow while the remaining 44 cases were being treated at the Isolation Ward.

"The 44 cases placed in the Isolation Ward comprise 39 trainees, one trainer, a woman who had contacted one of the trainees, two trainee radiographer and a trainee nurse," he said in a statement, here today.

In the incident on May 4, a trainee of the RTD Academy died while on the way to the Melaka Hospital while three were admitted to the ICU and the remaining 85 had to be quarantined due to the meningitis outbreak.

He said a medical team was still being placed full-time at the academy to monitor a total of 81 trainees.
<center><!-- start video--> <!-- end video--> </center> "All the trainees and their contacts who are being treated are said to be recuperating and as we have said earlier, preventive and control measures will be continued until all the cases have fully recovered," he said.

Mohd Ismail said the meningococcal meningitis infection was caused by the Neisseria meningitides bacteria which were only carried by humans and were not similar to the Nipah encephalitis or Influenza A (H1N1) infection. - BERNAMA

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/14/nation/3903688&sec=nation

Thursday May 14, 2009
Number of suspected meningitis cases now stands at 46

PUTRAJAYA: Eight more people were warded at the Malacca Hospital yesterday for suspected meningitis, bringing the number to 46.

Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said two were being treated at the intensive care unit but were expected to be transferred out by today.

The others ? 39 Road Transport Department (JPJ) academy trainees, a trainer, a woman who had contact with a trainee, two trainee x-ray personnel and a trainee nurse ? are in the isolation ward.

?Those in the isolation ward are on the road to recovery. As we have stressed before, preventive and control measures will go on until all patients have fully recovered,? he said yesterday.

Dr Ismail said a medical team was still stationed at the JPJ academy in Tiang Dua in Malacca to monitor the remaining 81 trainees there. Anyone showing the slightest symptoms would be referred to the hospital for treatment.

?I would also like to stress that the meningococcal meningitis infection has nothing to do with Nipah encephalitis or Influenza A (H1N1),? he said.

?Good personal hygiene, proper ventilation and staying away from crowded areas are good preventive measures.?

Meanwhile, assurances by health authorities that the meningitis outbreak was under control did not allay worries of some parents of children studying in SRJK Tiang Dua.

Some 35 of the 151 students were absent from school yesterday while several parents took their children home before classes ended.

This came in the wake of an Education Department directive to the school authorities to ask the children to not wear face masks, which the parent-teacher association had provided a day earlier.

Several village leaders and some 30 parents subsequently turned up for a briefing and dialogue session with state health and education authorities at the school hall yesterday.

Chio Jin Hian, 38, expressed uneasiness with the directive as he was concerned over the safety of his two children studying in the school, located some 300m from the academy, where the outbreak began.

State Women Affairs, Family Development and Health Committee deputy chairman Chua Kheng Hwa said the directive was not a blanket ban prohibiting children from wearing face masks, but merely a statement that it was not necessary.

He said most parents accepted the explanation given by health officers.

Besides, the continued wearing of face masks could create a wrong impression and unnecessary panic among the public, he added.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2556575/Article/index_html

2009/05/14
Quarantine extended

By : Jason Gerald John


<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --> <script type="text/javascript">addthis_pub = 'nstonline';</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/152/addthis_widget.js"></script> <!-- AddThis Button END -->
<!--start pix1--> <table align="center" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td class="caption" id="aphoto">
Students of Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Tiang Dua in Malacca have stopped wearing their masks. ? Bernama picture</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!--end pix1-->
MALACCA: The Health Ministry has extended until Sunday the quarantine period of the 80 trainees at the Road Transport Department Academy in Tiang Dua .
<!--start pix2 & pix3--> <table align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" width="200"> </table> <!--end pix2 & pix3--> The period beginning May 7, was to end today.

The extension was to give time to the Microbiology Lab in Sungai Buloh to identify the exact type of bacteria -- gram negative diplococci -- which caused the bacterial meningitis outbreak.

State Women's Affairs, Family Development and Health committee deputy chairman Chua Kheng Hwa said the decision was also to prevent further complications to the trainees and any possible infection to people coming into contact with them once the quarantine was lifted.

"I was informed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that the lab had yet to identify the exact type of bacteria which caused the outbreak.
<center><!-- start video--> <!-- end video--> </center> "This is a preventive measure. The trainees will be released once the results are obtained from the ministry, which is expected in the next few days," he said after a dialogue with the parent-teacher association (PTA) of SJK (C) Tiang Dua here yesterday.

Also present were Bukit Katil MP Datuk Mat Sirat Abu and state health director Dr Ghazali Othman.

Chua also said teachers and students could continue to wear masks if they wanted to.

The Education Ministry, on Tuesday, issued a notice to the school that it was not necessary for the teachers and students to wear masks as the Health Ministry had stated the bacterial meningitis was not airborne and that the distance between the school and academy was not close enough to warrant masks to be worn.

The school is 2km from the academy. Parents, teachers and students objected and 35 students did not attend school yesterday.

"They can continue to wear masks. It is up to them," said Chua.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam also visited the school and assured teachers and students that the outbreak was under control.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

ELECTRIC NEWS
Panic, anger as more are warded for meningitis in Malacca 46 warded in the state, but source of infection not yet discoveredMay 15, 2009

THERE are no cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in Malaysia so far. But the country's healthcare service has another problem on its hands right now.
NOT NEEDED: Students at this primary school were originally told to wear masks while in school. The Education Ministry has since told them not to.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported the number of patients treated at Malacca Hospital for bacterial meningitis rose to 46 yesterday.
This figure, combined with another patient who is hospitalised in Kepala Batas in Penang, brings the total number of affected patients nationwide to 47.
The scare began on 4 May, when a student at Malacca's Road Transport Department Academy complained of running nose, fever, cough and headache when he returned to the academy after going on leave.
He was among 95 academy students involved in a three-day field training exercise in Negri Sembilan, Johor and Melaka between 27 and 29 Apr.
Malacca State Health director Ghazali Othman said that the students went on leave after the training and returned to the academy on 3 May.
He said: 'After the student complained of the symptoms, he was taken to Malacca Hospital the same day but died on the way there. The post-mortem showed that he had died of bacterial meningitis.'
A few other students were also rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. Three of them were warded.
Dr Ghazali said 85 other students involved in the exercise were then quarantined at Malacca Hospital and the academy's quarters, while another student was hospitalised at Kepala Batas.
By Monday, 32 trainees were hospitalised with the disease in Malacca and Penang. On Tuesday, that figure quickly rose to 39, when four students quarantined at the academy, two of the hospital's radiographers and the fiancee of one of the students contracted symptoms of the disease.
Yesterday, the figure rose to 46.
Malaysia's director-general of health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, told Bernama yesterday that two cases were treated at the hospital's ICU and were expected to be taken out of the ward today.
He said another 44 cases at the isolation ward comprised 39 trainees, a trainer, a woman who contacted one of the trainees, two trainee radiographers and a trainee nurse.
He added that the source of the infection has still not been discovered, and doctors and health workers were working hard to find the carrier.
Different from H1N1
Dr Mohd Ismail told Bernama the infection was caused by the Neisseria meningitides bacteria which was only carried by humans, and added that it was not similar to the H1N1 virus.
He said a medical team was still on duty at the academy to monitor a total of 81 trainees.
The outbreak has led to panic and anger among the community.
On Sunday, the parent-teacher association (PTA), school authorities and parents of a primary school near the academy agreed that students and teachers should wear masks at all times while in school and the surrounding areas.
But a directive from the Malaysian education ministry on Tuesday then stated that students and teachers need not wear masks to school as there 'was no threat' from the outbreak at the academy.
By 11am yesterday, the students and teachers were no longer wearing the masks.
Malacca state education director Isa Abu told NST that bacterial meningitis was not airborne and the distance between the school and academy was not near enough to warrant masks to be worn.
The wearing of masks would also create panic among the people in the surrounding areas.
Village headman Chan Kwong Wu told NST he had received numerous complaints from parents distressed after being told that their children were told to stop wearing the masks.
He said the parents told him they would not take their children to school for the time being if they were not allowed to wear masks.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,201982,00.html

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/15/nation/3912922&sec=nation

Friday May 15, 2009
Five suspected meningitis patients allowed to go home

PUTRAJAYA: Five of the 42 patients treated at the Malacca Hospital for suspected meningitis have been allowed to return home, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said.

He said there was only one new patient from the Road Transport Department Academy admitted to the hospital on Wednesday.

?The two patients treated at the intensive care unit have recovered and now being treated at the isolation ward,? he said in a statement here yesterday.

Dr Ismail, who visited the Malacca Hospital and the academy, said the control and prevention activities carried out were good and organised.

?Such measures will continue with the cooperation from the academy?s administration until all patients have fully recovered from the illness,? he said.

He added that residents and schoolchildren near the academy should not be worried about getting the disease as it was not air-borne.

He said infection would only take place through close contact with those who have the illness.

Meanwhile in Malacca, students of SRJK(C) Tiang Dua returned to school after there were concerns about being told not to wear masks.

Parents were given a briefing on Wednesday by the health authorities and most of them agreed that it was safe for their children to stop wearing masks.

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

The patient in Kepala Batas must be the trainee moved there on May 10th.

Sunday May 10, 2009
Trainee moved to Kepala Batas Hospital

KEPALA BATAS: A trainee who contracted bacterial meningitis at the Road Transport Department academy in Malacca is now recuperating at the Kepala Batas Hospital.

Mohd Ashraff Sabrani, 23, who works at the State Road Transport Department, was admitted to the hospital and placed in the intensive care unit after he developed high fever last Sunday.

He was transferred to the isolation unit the following day after his condition improved.

A hospital spokesman confirmed Mohd Ashraff?s family members did not have any symptoms of meningitis but were advised to take some medication including antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/10/nation/3873827&sec=nation

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=13499

Ministry ready to face even bigger outbreaks
Giam Say Khoon

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry is "locked and loaded" to face even bigger bird flu outbreaks should they occur.

Its Disease Control Department director Dr Ramlee Rahmat said yesterday (March 22, 2006) the ministry had prepared a series of plan of action (POA) for the disease outbreak since last year (2005).

"The POA includes active surveillance check, preparation of designated hospitals and laboratories for testing human samples," he told theSun yesterday.

Ramlee said the ministry has sufficient staff nationwide to execute the POA in all states.

"But if the situation become worse, the ministry will mobilise staff from other states to aid the affected states, just as we did during the dengue outbreak last year," he said.

Ramlee said that if the 21 nationwide-designated hospitals for the disease cannot accommodate the number suspected-case patients and provided that the virus cannot transmit from human to human, the ministry will consider upgrading district hospitals as additional isolation wards.

"Suspected patients will first be warded and monitored in the district hospitals, and if needed, they will be transferred to the designated general hospitals for further check-up and treatment," he said.

Ramlee said to date, only two patients in Seberang Perai with flu symptoms were warded in Kepala Batas hospital and Penang Hospital.

However, he said investigations show the symptoms in the two do not meet the criteria of bird flu and will be discharged soon after receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, many villagers have been seen rounding up fowl without proper protection suits, which increase the risk of their contracting the disease.

Ramlee said villagers should wear whatever protection gears they have like masks, gloves and goggles.

He said they should properly cover their hands, mouth and nose whenever they are trying to round out their poultry.

"They should also wash themselves, all their gear and clothes after being in contact with fowl as it is impossible for the authorities to provide protection suits to everyone," he added.