H1N1: Health Minister Dialogue with Private Medical Practitioners, 27 August 2009

H1N1: Dialogue Tomorrow Between Health Minister And Private
Medical Practitioners

Dialogue with Minister of Health
27 August 2009, Thursday
3.30 pm at
Health Ministry's Operations Room,
Level 4, Block E7,
Parcel E, Putrajaya

August 26, 2009 18:15 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- A dialogue between Health Minister
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and private medical practitioners on
handling influenza A(H1N1) cases will be held Thursday at the
ministry.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said all
private practioners were very much encouraged to attend to clarify
handling of cases of influenza-like-illness (ILI) that are suspected
to be of influenza A(H1N1).

The dialogue is scheduled to be held at 3pm at the Health Ministry's
Operations Room, Level 4, Block E7, Parcel E, Putrajaya, he said in a
media statement on the current situation of H1N1 in the country.

On the current situation, Dr Mohd Ismail said one death was registered
today after being confirmed by the Mortality Review Committee.

The victim as a 24-year-old woman who is the 71st victim after the
cause of death was confirmed to be "H1N1 with Acute Respiratory
Distress Syndrome (ARDS)".

Dr Mohd Ismail also said 1,446 ILI patients were receiving treatment
at 98 hospitals, including two private hospitals, throughout the
country.

Of that number only 217 patients (15 per cent) were positive for H1N1.

"Of the 217 cases confirmed for H1N1, 51 cases were in the ICU where
nine cases were new admittances while two patients were moved out of
the ICU," he said in a media statement here Wednesday.

Dr Mohd Ismail said of the 51 cases being treated in the ICU, 39 cases
(76 per cent) had high risks like chronic diseases (21 cases), obesity
(9), children/infants (6), post natal case (1) and Down Syndrome (2).

On the global situation, Dr Mohd Ismail said a World Health
Organisation (WHO) report said the number of cases till Aug 26 was
239,985 with 2,601 deaths and this indicated that the spread of the
H1N1 pandemic was still active affecting 182 countries.

The WHO in its report also reminded that the figures presented did not
reflect the true picture of the situation as the organisation now did
not make it compulsory for cases to be reported, he said.