SWINE FLU OUTBREAK IN MEXICO

[Leftear]

RED ALERT:-

the following is taken from Yahoo, thought of sharing with all you beautiful people outthere, plse take note and take care ! Peace !

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The Immigration Department has gone on the alert over a swine flu outbreak in Mexico and is ready to work closely with the Health Ministry to prevent the spread of the disease to Malaysia, its director-general Datuk Mahmood Adam said today.
 
"We are awaiting instructions from the Ministry of Health by tomorrow and we will provide full cooperation at all entry points," he told Bernama.

He said the department had experience as it had provided an effective service during the outbreak of the Asian bird flu.

The latest swine flu epidemic in Mexico has so far claimed 62 lives, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that some of the deaths had been confirmed as being due to a type of swine flu labelled A(H1N1) not previously seen in pigs or humans.

Latest wire reports said the swine flu had spread to the United States and that WHO was concerned that it might spread to the rest of the world.

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FLU-IMMIGRATION 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

The symptoms of the swine flu are similar to those of ordinary flu, with fever, cough, runny nose and body aches.

The latest flu is said to be more virulent than the previous one as it is a combination of the avian, human and swine viruses.

Experts said there was yet a vaccine for the latest flu. However, they advised that the best precaution would be to keep the hands clean by washing to avoid being infected.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has reportedly advised Malaysians not to panic, saying the government would take all necessary steps to stop the disease from spreading to Malaysia.

He said the ministry would also keep the people regularly informed of developments.

-- BERNAMA

SHK KAM MGN

[danny]

Real scary stuff. Hope the whole thing blows over soon.

[Leftear]

Real scary stuff. Hope the whole thing blows over soon.

MALAYSIA HAS H1N1 VACCINE FOR SWINE FLU

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has the vaccine for swine flu which can be used to stop the spread of the disease to this country.
 
Veterinary Services director-general Datuk Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin said the H1N1 vaccine should be injected into pigs as a preventive measure following reports of 81 people killed by the swine flu in Mexico.

He told Bernama that the department was only waiting for the directive from the Health Ministry to carry out vaccination on the livestock.

He believed that the H1N1 vaccine was also used by pig farms in other countries as a preventive measure against swine flu.

Dr Abd Aziz also disclosed that Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had issued a directive to all State Veterinary Services directors to monitor pig farms in their respective states as a precaution and to report on any sign of swine flu infection.

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SWINE-VACCINE 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

"Stern action will be taken against them if they fail to do this. They must also ensure that all the pig breeders follow instructions like their workers must wear masks," he said.

Dr Abd Aziz said state livestock breeders' associations were required to cooperate with the Veterinary Services Department by reporting on any symptom of swine flu.

"If their workers have similar symptoms for influenza, high fever, sore throat and body aches, they must be given leave and undergo medical examination immediately."

Dr Abd Aziz said so far the department had not received any report of swine flu symptoms in the country, while the disease also had the potential of being spread to birds but the possibility was remote.

"If avian flu can spread through food like by eating chicken, swine flu cannot be spread by eating pork but through human contact," he said.

More information on the swine flu can be obtained by calling 03-88810200 or 03-88810300, or by visiting website www.moh.gov.my.

-- BERNAMA

FRZ LES MO