3rd fatality reported in Malaysia

[Shiloh]

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/27/nation/20090727162339&sec=nation

Published: Monday July 27, 2009 MYT 4:21:00 PM
Updated: Monday July 27, 2009 MYT 6:44:09 PM
A(H1N1): Second death in Malaysia (Update)

PETALING JAYA: A 46-year-old Malaysian man who worked in Belgium, died from Influenza A(H1N1) on Sunday, making him the second victim to have died from the contagious flu since its outbreak in this country.

The man was reported to have died from ?severe pneumonia with respiratory failure with septicaemic shock and acute renal failure? after seven days being treated at the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Subang Jaya.

Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the victim came back to Malaysia on July 4.

?He was alright until he went for a holiday with his family in Langkawi on July 13 when he developed fever and coughing.

?Upon his return from Langkawi, he sought treatment at a private hospital in Petaling Jaya on July 16 where his chest X-ray showed that he had pneumonia,? he said in a statement issued here Monday.

Dr Mohd Ismail said the man was then referred to the private hospital in Subang Jaya on July 19 and warded at the ICU.

He said tests conducted by the Institute of Medical Research on July 22, on a sample taken from the man?s throat confirmed that he had been infected with the H1N1 virus.

?Complications developed and the man died at 12.35pm Sunday,? he said, adding that 18 contact cases had been identified and only one had tonsillitis symptoms.

On July 21, a 30-year-old Islamic finance student from Indonesia also died from Influenza A(H1N1).

Dr Mohd Ismail said the latest fatal case was among seven cases categorised as sporadic or isolated.

He said six other local cases in the same category included three who were warded in the hospitals -- one for pneumonia and the others a five-month pregnant woman and a young student. The other three are from one family and they received outpatient treatment.

Dr Mohd Ismail also said that 49 new cases were reported Monday, all involving locals, bringing the total number of cases so far to 1,124 with two deaths. Of the figure, 574 were imported cases while the rest were locally transmitted.

He said 1,103 cases (98%) had recovered, another 10 cases were being given antiviral treatment and eight were treated at home. -- Bernam

 

[kiwibird]

Re: 3rd fatality reported in Malaysia

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/news_lite.php?id=428447
Influenza A (H1N1) Claims Third Casualty In Malaysia


PUTRAJAYA, July 28 (Bernama) -- The death toll due to the Influenza A (H1N1) in the country rose to three Tuesday with the death of another patient.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the latest victim was a 42-year-old Malaysian male who was confirmed of having the Influenza A (H1N1) on Thursday.

He said the man had been unwell since July 6 and had been seeking outpatient treatment from several clinics and private hospitals.

He said the man was later admitted to a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur on July 18 as his condition deteriorated and was diagnosed as having pneumonia, and while he was in the ward, he was found to be suffering from Diabetes Mellitus while an x-ray showed that he was suffering from pneumonia.

"On July 19, the patient was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as he was having breathing problems and needed to use the ventilator. As the case was becoming more acute, a throat sample was taken on July 22 and he was confirmed positive for Influenza A (H1N1) on July 23.

"However, the patient had suffered various complications and died on July 27 (yesterday) at 4.40 pm due to severe pneumonia with multiorgan failure 10 days after seeking treatment," he told reporters here Tuesday.

Liow, who expressed regret over the incident, said all clinics and hospitals in the country should take immediate steps in tracing patients infected with Influenza A (H1N1) so that immediate treatment could be given.

"From this case you can see that this patient has gone round a few clinics since he was not well from July 6 until July 18 when his condition was deteriorating, but yet the clinic didn't take any swab sample for H1N1.

"So I would like to urge all clinics and hospitals to be vigilant, to be effective and to take immediate action and measures in any suspected influenza case. There are a lot of cases coming in with pneumonia but they have to test whether it's H1N1. They have to take this immediate step," he said.

On the current situation, Liow said 95 new cases of Influenza A (H1N1) had been detected, all of them being local cases among Malaysian citizens, of which 68 were from 19 new clusters, 22 cases from 11 existing clusters while five cases were sporadic or isolated ones.

He said the total accumulated cases had so far increased to 1,219 cases, of which 574 cases or 47 per cent were imported cases while the remaining 645 cases or 53 per cent were locally infected cases.

-- BERNAMA