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Saturday August 15 2009Related Articles
Muhyiddin: Not practical to disclose H1N1 hotspots
KUANTAN, Aug 15 ? The government has decided against releasing information on Influenza A(H1N1) hot spots in the country, with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin saying it was not a practical idea.
He said that disclosing locations with rampant A(H1N1) cases would bring about numerous implications.
For instance, if an area was declared to be free of A(H1N1), the people there might take the pandemic for granted.
On the other hand, he said, if a locality was declare to be a H1N1 hot spot, this would negatively impact the area.
?For instance if there are A(H1N1) cases detected in Kuantan, we cannot say don?t go to Kuantan. On the other hand, those living outside the hot spots may take the matter lightly. This is also dangerous,? he told reporters here.
Muhyiddin said yesterday that he would discuss with Health Ministry officials the possibility of releasing information on locations with rampant A(H1N1) cases.
He said he had discussed the matter with Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and came to the conclusion that there was no necessity to do so.
Several consumer associations had urged the Health Ministry to disclose the Influenza A(H1N1) hot spots, especially areas which involved deaths.
Muhyiddin said it was difficult to classify A(H1N1) hot spots due to the existence of cross-border transmissions.
?It?s not like disclosing haze hot spots where we are able to pinpoint their exact locations on the map. This is about viral transmission which also occurred in other countries and not confine to certain localities,? he said.
What was important, said Muhyiddin, was for all to take precautionary measures and heed the advice of health authorities.
In a related development, Muhyiddin said, the government had spent RM40 million to acquire additional supply of the antiviral drug, Tamiflu.
?We want the supply to be increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent in all hospitals and clinics. We have also spent RM3 million to distribute face masks to students nationwide,? he said.
He also instructed the Health Ministry to shorten the waiting time for treatment in view of overcrowding in hospitals of late.
?Hospitals should give priority to treating those displaying severe symptoms of the illness,? he said. ? Bernama
http://malaysianinsider.com/index.p...ddin-not-practical-to-disclose-h1n1-hotspots-
Muhyiddin: Not practical to disclose H1N1 hotspots
KUANTAN, Aug 15 ? The government has decided against releasing information on Influenza A(H1N1) hot spots in the country, with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin saying it was not a practical idea.
He said that disclosing locations with rampant A(H1N1) cases would bring about numerous implications.
For instance, if an area was declared to be free of A(H1N1), the people there might take the pandemic for granted.
On the other hand, he said, if a locality was declare to be a H1N1 hot spot, this would negatively impact the area.
?For instance if there are A(H1N1) cases detected in Kuantan, we cannot say don?t go to Kuantan. On the other hand, those living outside the hot spots may take the matter lightly. This is also dangerous,? he told reporters here.
Muhyiddin said yesterday that he would discuss with Health Ministry officials the possibility of releasing information on locations with rampant A(H1N1) cases.
He said he had discussed the matter with Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and came to the conclusion that there was no necessity to do so.
Several consumer associations had urged the Health Ministry to disclose the Influenza A(H1N1) hot spots, especially areas which involved deaths.
Muhyiddin said it was difficult to classify A(H1N1) hot spots due to the existence of cross-border transmissions.
?It?s not like disclosing haze hot spots where we are able to pinpoint their exact locations on the map. This is about viral transmission which also occurred in other countries and not confine to certain localities,? he said.
What was important, said Muhyiddin, was for all to take precautionary measures and heed the advice of health authorities.
In a related development, Muhyiddin said, the government had spent RM40 million to acquire additional supply of the antiviral drug, Tamiflu.
?We want the supply to be increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent in all hospitals and clinics. We have also spent RM3 million to distribute face masks to students nationwide,? he said.
He also instructed the Health Ministry to shorten the waiting time for treatment in view of overcrowding in hospitals of late.
?Hospitals should give priority to treating those displaying severe symptoms of the illness,? he said. ? Bernama
http://malaysianinsider.com/index.p...ddin-not-practical-to-disclose-h1n1-hotspots-