H1N1 - 51 maut di Malaysia setakat 13 Ogos 2009

Sumber - Utusan Malaysia online

KUALA LUMPUR 13 Ogos – Tujuh lagi kematian akibat selesema babi atau influenza A (H1N1) dicatatkan hari ini di seluruh negara menjadikan jumlahnya 51 orang setakat ini.

Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai berkata, kesemua kes kematian itu didapati mempunyai risiko penyakit seperti tekanan darah tinggi, sakit jantung dan imuniti rendah.“

Kes kematian tersebut turut membabitkan bayi yang berumur empat bulan dan seorang warga emas yang berumur 92 tahun," katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas merasmikan Persidangan Saintifik Persatuan Kajian Kegemukan Malaysia (MASO) di sini hari ini.

Costa Rican President, Oscar Arias, down with H1N1

Source AP (associated Press)


Nobel Peace laureate and Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said Tuesday, 12 August 2009, that he has swine flu, showing that not even a head of state is safe from the virus that has caused worldwide concern but relatively few deaths.

The 69-year-old president and Nobel Peace Prize winner said in a statement that he was quarantined at home and is being treated with the anti-flu medicine oseltamivir.

"The pandemic makes no distinctions," Arias said. "I am one more case in this country and I am being submitted to the recommendations that health authorities have established for the entire population."

Arias suffers from asthma and is at higher risk than most, but was in good enough health to continue working.

"Aside from the discomfort of the fever and sore throat, I feel in good shape and in full capacity to carry out my work by telecommuting," Arias said in the statement.

The president had flu symptoms since Sunday, but participated in public activities as late as Tuesday morning, when he appeared at a call center.

Arias has been serving on-and-off as a mediator in the political crisis in Honduras after that country's president was ousted June 28 in a coup.

Diego Maradona will not like this...

Argentine football legend, Diego Armando Maradona, will not like this news report.

The Guardian today reported that substantial amount of international tourists have cancelled their trips to Argentina as swine flu death toll in that country, reached 137, making Argentina the 2nd worst hit in terms of the virus fatality, behind the United States.

Currently there are 211 deaths, caused by the pandemic in the USA.

In Argentina, travel agents and airlines have reported a sharp drop in business amid concern that the death toll will continue to rise during the rest of the southern hemisphere's winter.

An unfamiliar quiet has descended over some of Buenos Aires's tourist quarters, with many restaurants and theatres closed or deserted. Ski resorts such as Bariloche, which are normally packed at this time, have rooms to spare. Hotels, restaurants, and shops said they were losing around US$150 million (£95m) weekly.

The vice president of Spain, Maria Teresa Fernández de la Vega, has decided to bypass Argentina on a forthcoming South America tour, reportedly because of the A (H1N1) virus.

The Brazilian airline GOL cancelled some chartered flights to its neighbour after passengers numbers dropped by half. Brazil's government has advised against travel to Argentina and Chile, also badly hit. Some travel agents have reported a 50 percent drop in travelers.

The British Foreign Office updated its travel advice to warn that Buenos Aires and 17 provinces had declared a health emergency. It does not urge Britons to stay away but is not exactly encouraging.

The authorities hope recent temporary restrictions will curb the epidemic. Schools, universities, cinemas, theatres, and gymnasiums were closed and pregnant women and children were among those urged to stay indoors.

The Catholic church urged worshippers to sit far apart, to avoid handshakes, and to take the communion wafer in their hands rather than directly on the tongue. Doctors urged people to not greet each other with a kiss and to not share mate, a herbal drink traditionally drunk from a straw and passed between friends.

The government said yesterday the worst may be over. The numbers reporting flu symptoms has reportedly halved in recent days. Theatres, which were shut for the past 10 days, said they would reopen this weekend but appealed to the sick to stay away.

I wonder wether the football stadiums across Argentina will also see a drastic drop in fans attendance??

I used to watch over the TV, football stadiums in Argentina are always jam packed whenever top teams in the Argentine league are playing.

Top teams include Independiente, Boca Juniors, Argentinos Juniors and River Plate - these 4 are like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and my all time favourite - Liverpool in the English Premier League.

Say no to H1N1, say yes to Liverpool and Diego Armando Maradona.

Malaysia - 2 Mericans in the limelight

Tan Sri Ismail Merican - Director General of Health, Malaysia

In Malaysia, Two Mericans are grabbing the headlines.

The two Mericans are not aMerican, but Malaysians.

The first Merican is Tan Sri Ismail Merican, the Director General of Health.

He is on the news daily since the outbreak of the dreaded Influenza A H1N1 virus or swine flu.

As of today 25th June 2009, 91 cases of H1N1 have been detected in Malaysia.

Now, the second Merican on the headlines is Petronas Acting Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tan Sri Hassan Merican.


Tan Sri Hassan Marican - Acting Chairman, President & CEO of Petronas

Today on the 25th June 2009, Petronas, the national Oil and Gas corporation, announced a whopping RM 264.2 Billion (USD 77 Billion) in revenue for the financial year ended 31 March 2009.

That is the biggest amount for any corporation in Malaysia.

That amount is an increase of 18.4% compared to 223.1 Billion Ringgit revenue in 2008.

However, Petronas profit before taxation decreases to 89.1 Billion Ringgit (USD 26 Billion) as compared to 95.5 Billion Ringgit in 2008.

Petronas recorded a 76.3 Billion Ringgit profit before tax in 2007.

Nevermind, the combined profit before tax of Petronas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 is still a gigantic and monstrous RM 260.9 Billion...!!!

And the combined revenue of Petronas over that 3 year period is a collosal RM 671.4 Billion...!!!

Petronas profit after tax for 2009 is RM 52.5 Billion (USD 15.3 Billion)....!!!

In 2008, Petronas profit after tax was RM 61 billion and in 2007 - it was RM46.4 Billion.

Still, the combined profit after tax for the 3 year period is RM 159.9 Billion.

You live for 77 generations and that amount of money will not finish.

Consider putting the RM 159.9 Billion in net profit into a fixed deposit account, and by enjoying an interest rate of 1 % per month, you will be getting millions of ringgit in interest alone!!!!!!!

My Gosh - that means Petronas paid a mammoth amount of RM 101 Billion for tax alone for that 3 years - 2007, 2008 and 2009...!!!

I wonder how much is Tan Sri Hassan Merican is getting in perks, salary, etc per month as acting Chairman, President and CEO of Petronas??

I don't know the answer but i bet Tan Sri Hassan Merican is making much much much more than the other Merican - Tan Sri Ismail Merican..!!! Am i right??

Congrats Petronas...!!!

H1N1, even the Deputy Chief Minister is on home quarantine

In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Peter Pang and his family have put themselves on home quarantine after his son, who returned to Sandakan from Melbourne, was confirmed to be the state’s second Influenza A( H1N1) case.

“As responsible citizens, Datuk Pang and his family have taken the immediate step to quarantine themselves as a precaution,” his political secretary Jason Tan said.

Pang, his wife and two daughters are in self isolation after Pang’s 17-year-old son was confirmed by Health authorities on Jun 24 to have been infected and put in the isolation ward of the Duchess of Kent Hospital here.

Tan said that Pang’s son condition was stable.

Pang, who is state Youth and Sports Minister, was scheduled to launch the state level students’ forum competition at SM Tshung Tsin Thursday but was represented by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

Sabah’s first case of A(H1N1) involved a 15-year-old girl here who was discharged from the Linghzi quarantine centre here last Friday after a week of anti-viral treatment.

The girl was studying in the United States and had returned to Kota Kinabalu via a MAS flight from Hong Kong on June 13.

Pang is the assemblyman for Karamunting, he contested for the first time in an election in last year March 2008 general election.

After winnig the seat,Pang was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports.

On May 2009, Pang was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister for the Chinese community quota, replacing Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah who was partyless but later joined Gerakan - a Penisular Malaysia based party.

Source - The Star Online

Malaysia confirms first case of H1N1

source - The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Friday confirmed its first case of the A(H1N1) flu in a 21-year-old student who returned from the United States on Wednesday morning.

All passengers on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH091 from Newark on Wednesday are urged to contact the Health Ministry by calling 03-88810200 or 03-88810300

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the case made Malaysia the 36th country to be affected by the virus.

Malaysia is now on high alert,” said Liow, who is in London now, enroute to Geneva, for a World Health Organisation meeting. He added he would return earlier than his scheduled return next Friday.

Liow said Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha who is now the acting Health Minister would hold a press conference with the deputy health director general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat at Putra Jaya at 3pm

Meanwhile, A statement by the Health Ministry's director-general, Dr. Ismail Merican, said the young man was hospitalised on Thursday for fever, sore throat and body aches.

Tests confirmed that he was infected with the A(H1N1) virus, the statement said. He is receiving anti-viral treatment and was in stable condition, it said.

Ismail said the ministry had contacted members of his family but they have not been placed under quarantine.

Ismail said his department was taking steps to protect public health and that there was no reason to panic.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that a man from Bukit Mertajam held under observation at the isolation ward of the Penang Hospital has been declared free of Influenza A (H1N1).

"We just got a report that the blood test on the 26-year-old man was negative," State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said when contacted by Bernama Friday.

A test on a sample of his blood had been sent to Kuala Lumpur.

The man was kept for observation Thursday after he was found to have fever and symptoms similar to those of Influenza A (H1N1) on his return from the United States.

Two weeks ago, a New Zealand tourist was admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital for suspected Influenza A (H1N1) but a blood test also showed up negative.

H1NI, first alert in Sabah

In KOTA KINABALU, flu symptoms in an elderly Canadian tourist had sent Sabah health authorities into their first alert.

Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said the 71-year-old man however tested negative for the virus after being quarantined overnight at a designated isolation centre in Kepayan. He was released on Thursday.

“Our health authorities will remain vigilant for those who could be infected by the virus,” he said after chairing the State Security Council meeting Thursday.

Musa, who had earlier been briefed by Sabah Health Department director Dr Marzukhi Md Isa, said the man had arrived on May 5 and after a week became ill and suffered from fever and a sore throat.

Musa said the Canadian visited a private medical clinic at Luyang on May 12 and the doctor there immediately alerted Health Department officials who took the man to the quarantine centre.

The man’s blood sample was sent to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday and he was released early Thursday after the test showed a negative result for the virus.