kiwibird
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/12/nation/20100112180345&sec=nation
Published: Tuesday January 12, 2010 MYT 5:59:00 PM
Liow: No signs of A(H1N1) virus mutation
By TEH ENG HOCK and SHARON CHEW
enghock@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: There are no signs of mutation of the A(H1N1) virus in Malaysia.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said health officials were following guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and closely monitoring flu cases to detect cases of mutation.
?We are worried the H1N1 virus in the country will mutate. We are closely monitoring and, so far, no mutation has been detected. The virus has not changed, and the genome has remained the same,? he said.
Liow said the number of patients contracting Influenza A(H1N1) had been reduced to two to three cases daily.
He added that the ministry would receive 400,000 doses of vaccine this year, and these would be administered to frontliners and those in the high-risk groups, such as obese people, pregnant ladies, and patients suffering from high-blood pressure and chronic illnesses.
?These people can come forward to government hospitals next month to receive the vaccine if they want to,? he said.
Asked if there were cases of the virus mutating elsewhere in the world, Liow said he had not received any information on it.
Liow was speaking to reporters after handing out RM2mil each to the Tung Shin Hospital and the Chinese Maternity Hospital on Tuesday.
Published: Tuesday January 12, 2010 MYT 5:59:00 PM
Liow: No signs of A(H1N1) virus mutation
By TEH ENG HOCK and SHARON CHEW
enghock@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: There are no signs of mutation of the A(H1N1) virus in Malaysia.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said health officials were following guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and closely monitoring flu cases to detect cases of mutation.
?We are worried the H1N1 virus in the country will mutate. We are closely monitoring and, so far, no mutation has been detected. The virus has not changed, and the genome has remained the same,? he said.
Liow said the number of patients contracting Influenza A(H1N1) had been reduced to two to three cases daily.
He added that the ministry would receive 400,000 doses of vaccine this year, and these would be administered to frontliners and those in the high-risk groups, such as obese people, pregnant ladies, and patients suffering from high-blood pressure and chronic illnesses.
?These people can come forward to government hospitals next month to receive the vaccine if they want to,? he said.
Asked if there were cases of the virus mutating elsewhere in the world, Liow said he had not received any information on it.
Liow was speaking to reporters after handing out RM2mil each to the Tung Shin Hospital and the Chinese Maternity Hospital on Tuesday.