Malaysian airline crew quarantined over swine flu

5/17/2009, 9:11 a.m. EDT
The Associated Press

(AP) — KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Budget airline AirAsia has quarantined five crew members who were on a domestic flight that carried Malaysia's second confirmed swine flu victim, a report said Sunday.

The crew of flight AK5358, which flew from Kuala Lumpur to the northern city of Penang on Wednesday, was taken off duty Saturday, The Star newspaper's Internet edition reported, quoting an AirAsia spokesman.

The flight was taken by Malaysia's second confirmed swine flu case, a 21-year-old female student who had arrived in Kuala Lumpur on a Malaysian Airlines flight earlier Wednesday from Newark in the United States. She was hospitalized after reaching Penang. Malaysia's first confirmed victim is a 21-year-old friend of the woman, who also was on the Malaysian Airlines flight. He has been hospitalized in Kuala Lumpur.

The Star quoted Health Ministry Deputy Director-General Ramlee Rahmat as saying that both were in stable condition.

He said all 101 passengers on the AirAsia flight would be put under home quarantine.

Of the 119 passengers on the Malaysian Airlines flight, 95 have been located and put under home quarantine along with 15 crew members, Ramlee was quoted as saying. The 95-80 Malaysians and 15 foreigners-all are healthy, he said. The ministry is still trying to locate one remaining Malaysian and 23 foreigners, he said.

The World Health Organization has confirmed at least 8,480 human cases of swine flu in nearly 40 countries, mostly in the U.S. and Mexico, including 72 deaths.