A(H1N1): Lets Be Serious - 26 Deaths

Excerpt from The Star. 9th August 2009

Published: Sunday August 9, 2009 MYT 1:38:00 PM


A(H1N1): Eight more deaths reported
BY MUGUTAN VANAR


KOTA KINABALU: The number of deaths from Influenza A (H1N1) virus rose to 26 nationwide on Sunday with the Health Ministry confirming that eight more people have died from the deadly virus.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the deaths, which between Aug 3 to 8, were confirmed to have resulted from the deadly virus following test results. (One person died on Aug 3, two on Aug 5, four on Aug 6 and the last one on Aug 8)

He said the latest eight deaths involved mainly people in the high risk group though there was one 20-year-old college student who was found dead at her hostel about a week after obtaining outpatient treatment at a hospital.

Among the dead are two Sabahans - a 24-year-old obese woman from Ranau who died of pulmonary oedema after a bout of flu and fever while the other involved a 74-year-old man with a history of heart problem who died of pneumonia and pulmonary oedema.

The others deaths were a 47-year-old patient with asthma in Sarawak and a 37-year-old obese male who died of broncho-pneumonia at the hospital in Johor Baru.

Liow said as at Sunday, there were a total of 62 patients warded in hospitals with 13 in the intensive care units, while an additional five were waiting for test results. The Health Minister also said that in Sabah, 402 confirmed cases had been detected, with seven patients still in hospital and one in ICU.

He said 35 schools had also been closed to date.