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Flu bug hits Johor, triggers sharp increase in sick leave
05 Jul 2006
Ravi Nambiar
JOHOR BARU: The State has been hit by a flu bug, forcing a growing number of people to seek medical help.
Many workplaces have been disrupted, as employees crawl into bed with nagging dry cough, fever, acute muscle and body ache and general fatigue.
Doctors say the outbreak began early last month and is expected to last for several more weeks. They believe it has been exacerbated by the prevalent hot weather.
A visit to the outpatient unit at the Sultan Aminah Hospital here, found scores of people seeking treatment for flu, while private practitioners also noted a marked increase in cases.
One general practitioner said 80 per cent of his patients were seeking relief from flu.
In one legal firm here, nearly half of the 15 employees have taken medical leave in the past fortnight.
Nam Weng Industries, the Tampoi-based furniture factory, had to close down an entire production line for a few days when nearly all of its Nepalese workers came down with the flu.
"It spreads very fast. The moment one worker gets ill, I immediately send him home or I risk having the entire plant infected," said the company?s human resource manager Bernard Subramaniam.
Johor Specialist Hospital consultant physician Datuk Dr M. Singaraveloo said: "The virus is highly infectious.
"If you have the flu, remain indoors and rest.
"You should not be out and about or cough in the open as this will spread the bug."
He added that treatment usually involves antiviral medication.
Dr Boo Cheng Hau, a general practitioner, warned: "Symptoms can persist for a week or more.
"If left untreated, it could become more serious and lead to conditions like pneumonia."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Wednesday/National/20060705094403/Article/local1_html
Johor:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor
05 Jul 2006
Ravi Nambiar
JOHOR BARU: The State has been hit by a flu bug, forcing a growing number of people to seek medical help.
Many workplaces have been disrupted, as employees crawl into bed with nagging dry cough, fever, acute muscle and body ache and general fatigue.
Doctors say the outbreak began early last month and is expected to last for several more weeks. They believe it has been exacerbated by the prevalent hot weather.
A visit to the outpatient unit at the Sultan Aminah Hospital here, found scores of people seeking treatment for flu, while private practitioners also noted a marked increase in cases.
One general practitioner said 80 per cent of his patients were seeking relief from flu.
In one legal firm here, nearly half of the 15 employees have taken medical leave in the past fortnight.
Nam Weng Industries, the Tampoi-based furniture factory, had to close down an entire production line for a few days when nearly all of its Nepalese workers came down with the flu.
"It spreads very fast. The moment one worker gets ill, I immediately send him home or I risk having the entire plant infected," said the company?s human resource manager Bernard Subramaniam.
Johor Specialist Hospital consultant physician Datuk Dr M. Singaraveloo said: "The virus is highly infectious.
"If you have the flu, remain indoors and rest.
"You should not be out and about or cough in the open as this will spread the bug."
He added that treatment usually involves antiviral medication.
Dr Boo Cheng Hau, a general practitioner, warned: "Symptoms can persist for a week or more.
"If left untreated, it could become more serious and lead to conditions like pneumonia."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Wednesday/National/20060705094403/Article/local1_html
Johor:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor
