M'sia's H1N1 deaths rise to 26

Aug 9, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN health authorities on Sunday announced a further eight H1N1 flu-related fatalities, bringing the country's death toll in connection with the virus to 26, according to media reports.

The latest deaths included a 20-year-old girl, a college student, who died in a hostel after being given outpatient treatment, the Star and New Straits Times websites quoted Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai as saying.

'The latest eight deaths happened between August 3 and August 8 but we could only confirm that they died of influenza A after getting post-mortem results,' he told New Straits Times.

Malaysia has seen a surge in cases of influenza A(H1N1) over the past few weeks, and Prime Minister Najib Razak has urged the public to refrain from attending mass gatherings unless necessary.

Health authorities said they are monitoring the situation to decide whether to proceed with National Day celebrations end of this month, which some 47,000 people are expected to attend, according to state news agency Bernama.

On Thursday, the health minister warned that haze from forest fires that was shrouding parts of Malaysia would worsen the swine flu situation by causing more respiratory illnesses.

The haze reached 'unhealthy' levels in six locations in Malaysia on Wednesday but air quality had improved somewhat on Sunday.

hattip Monotreme