June 24, 2009 14:34 PM

12 New H1N1 Cases Detected - Health DG

PUTRAJAYA, June 24 (Bernama) -- Twelve new Influenza A(H1N1) confirmed cases have been reported over the past 24 hours said director-general of Health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican Wednesday.

Mohd Ismail said from the total, 10 were 'imported cases' while two were locally transmitted cases.

Three of the cases identified involved two from Yemen and one from Indonesia while the rest were Malaysians who had visited Singapore, United Kingdom, Thailand, Philippines, Australia and the United States, he said.

"This has increased the number of confirmed cases in the country to 80, comprising 69 'imported cases' and 11 locally transmitted cases.

"The number of schools that had been closed due to the outbreak remains four while three schools had been directed to close one of their classrooms respectively," he told reporters after chairing a National Technical committee meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) here.

He added that so far, 1,619 people had been tested for suspicion of Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

He said a Malaysian woman who had returned from a holiday in Singapore using the Aeroline bus WMF 8862 on June 21 was the first new case detected while a 20-year-old student who returned home from London for a semester break on June 19, via Malaysian Airlines flight MH003 was the second new case.

The third case involved a 29-year-old Malaysian who returned from a holiday in Thailand on June 19 on AirAsia flight AK747 and the fourth was a local woman who returned from the Philippines on June 17 on Malaysian Airlines flight MH705 while four who came in contact with her have been admitted to the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Seremban to undergo tests after coming down with fever.

An Indonesian boy, 11, who came to Malaysia from Singapore on AirAsia flight AK702 on June 22, was the fifth case while a local man, aged 27, who returned home from the Philippines on June 19 on Malaysian Airlines flight MH705 was the sixth case.

A six-month old baby of a Malaysian who lives in California, United States and travelled on Cathay Pacific flight CX 873 from California to Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific flight CX 723 from Hong Kong to Malaysia was the seventh case.

The eighth confirmed case was a Malaysian female student, aged 19, who returned from Melbourne, Australia on June 20 on a Singapore Airlines flight SQ0238 and landed at the Changi Airport in Singapore before taking a taxi to Johor Baharu where she lived.

The taxi driver and her family members have been home quarantined.

The ninth and 10th cases involved students aged 20 and 22 from Yemen, who are students at Asian Life Skill Sdn Bhd and lived together at Vista Komanwel in Bukit Jalil.

The 11th case was a Malaysian air hostess, aged 38, who returned to Kuala Lumpur from Jeddah using Malaysian Airlines flight MH151 on June 19, and continued her flight to Penang on flight MH1166 the same day.

The 12th case involved an eight year old Malaysian student who had returned from a holiday in Melbourne, Australia and the brother of another student who had been tested positive earlier.

"All the confirmed cases have been admitted in hospitals and are in stable conditions. As of 8am today, 44 Influenza A(H1N1) cases are being treated in hospitals," said Mohd Ismail.

The 44 are placed at Sungai Buloh Hospital (24), Kuala Lumpur Hospital (4), Penang Hospital (4), Ipoh Hospital (1), Alor Setar Hospital (3), Tuanku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Kelang (4), Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, Seremban (2) and Sarawak Hospital (2).

Mohd Ismail said the Health Ministry were in the process of identifying all those who had come in contact with the confirmed cases, including passengers of the bus and passengers in the respective flights.

He added that as of yesterday, 628 were placed under "home quarantine" including 164 contact cases.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 232 have died of Influenza A (H1N1) from the 53,110 confirmed cases in 99 countries while 423 new cases were reported yesterday.

Among the countries which registered an increase in the number of cases were Australia (124), China (112), New Zealand (61), Japan (43) and Nicaragua (43).

-- BERNAMA

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