SUBANG JAYA: The Health Ministry has given an assurance that its Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is always on the alert for the Nipah virus.
"Our centre is advanced. In fact, we were the ones who identified the Nipah virus and we know how to control it," Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said after launching the Health Day campaign organised by the Women Development Organisation of Malaysia and Puchong MCA division here yesterday.
"We are confident if there is an outbreak, we will know the source and be able to handle it. I don't think there is a threat here."
Liow said there has been no new cases of the Nipah virus in the country since the 1998-1999 outbreak when more than 100 people died.
None of the 649 encephalitis cases reported to the ministry from 2000 to October this year was caused by the Nipah virus.
The minister was commenting on the New Sunday Times front-page report "Nipah virus still a threat", which said that Universiti Malaya's department of medicine did not rule out the possibility of another Nipah outbreak in the country.
The NST quoted the department's consultant neurologist Dr Tan Chong Tin as saying the country was vulnerable as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and India have discovered bats infected with the Nipah virus.
Dr Tan had also said the movement of labour across borders could also pose a threat to Malaysia, home to migrant labour from these countries.
Liow said there was little evidence that the foreigners posed a threat. "The risk they carry is small or non-existent."
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Nipah virus threat 'under control'
Snuff out in air-cond areas
Pressure check: Liow getting the reading for his blood pressure from a volunteer after launching Health Day in Puchong.
KUALA LUMPUR: Smokers must stop lighting up in enclosed air-conditioned areas and the Health Ministry will be stepping up enforcement against those who do so.
Action would also be taken against restaurant owners who allow smokers to puff away at non-smoking sections, Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said.
“Air-conditioned places such as restaurants must have a separate smoking area with their own vacuum system to prevent other parts of the premises from being polluted,” he told reporters after launching Health Day here yesterday.
“We will increase the number of raids and checks to ensure the rules are followed,” he added.
The intensified measures were decided after the ministry received complaints from the public that smokers were refusing to put out their cigarettes despite “No Smoking” signs.
Liow said the ministry would also try to work with shopowners to stop youths under 18 from buying cigarettes.
Those caught smoking at prohibited places and owners of premises who neglect the rules will face a maximum fine of RM10,000 or two years’ jail, or both.
On another matter, Liow said the animal feed industry in Malaysia was not affected by melamine contamination as the feed was not imported from China.
Later, after opening the fifth Tephinet Global Scientific Conference, Liow told reporters that the Nipah virus was not a threat in Malaysia because it had not been traced from the 649 cases of viruses detected by the Institute of Medical Research in the past eight years.
He said that of the 649 cases of Encephalitis viruses, 285 were identified as Japanese Encephalitis with 37 deaths reported from the Encephalitis virus from 2000 to 2008.
Liow said that the Government had taken a multi-pronged approach after the Nipah virus outbreak in 1998 and the latest steps taken by the ministry was in line with the World Health Organisation.
Pilih tanpa kira kaum
PUCHONG 2 Nov. - MCA berpendirian bahawa jawatan Pengurus Besar Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) seharusnya dipegang oleh individu paling layak sahaja tanpa mengira kaum.
Sehubungan itu, Naib Presidennya, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai berkata, PKNS sewajarnya melantik individu yang terbaik dari segi kredibiliti dan kemampuan untuk mengisi jawatan tersebut.
''Sesiapa yang berkelayakan boleh memegang jawatan tersebut tanpa mengira kaum. Kita berharap mereka (PKNS) mengambil individu yang terbaik,'' katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas merasmikan Kempen Hari Kesihatan anjuran bersama Women Organization Development cawangan Puchong dan MCA bahagian Puchong di sini hari ini.
Tiong Lai diminta mengulas tindakan kerajaan negeri Selangor melantik Low Siew Moi sebagai Pemangku Pengurus Besar PKNS yang sepatutnya bersara tahun ini.