Fears of a pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR: The world woke up to shocking news of a potential pandemic caused by a new strain of swine flu emerging from Mexico. According to Mexican health officials, 103 people in Mexico have died from the swine flu, with a total of 1,600 suspected cases.

The virus, colloquially known as “swine flu” or “Mexican flu” carries swine, avian and human DNA and has been designated H1N1. It has gone beyond Mexican borders, with reports of confirmed and suspected cases in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Israel.

In New Zealand, Health Minister Tony Ryall said that it is "highly likely" that 10 students have contracted swine flu though most are recovering, while in Israel online newspaper Haaretz reports that authorities there are investigating a man who had just returned from Mexico and checked himself into a hospital with flu-like symptoms.

There are currently no reports of the swine flu in Asia, but governments are taking precautions to prevent the flu from spreading. The South Korean health, agriculture and foreign ministry held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue, while the Chinese health ministry said it was "paying close attention" to the situation.

Not pandemic... yet

Earlier, Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO, said the outbreak involves "an animal strain of the H1N1 virus and it has pandemic potential," though it's too early to announce a full pandemic alert.

A pandemic is understood as the spread of an infectious disease through populations across a large area, which includes continents. A well-known pandemic of the past was the H5N1 avian flu in 2004.

This possible pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern, currently ranked 3 on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 denoting a sustained human-to-human spread internationally of a new and serious virus.

According to Alan Hay, director of WHO's flu laboratory National Institute for Medical Research in north London, genetic tests have shown that the swine virus is similar to the strain that is endemic in North American pigs, but contains two genes from a strain found in European and Asian pigs.

"This virus has emerged very suddenly and right now, the ability to detect people who are carrying the infection is a very high priority," says Hay, adding that scientists at the laboratory are expected to have diagnostic kits that can detect the strain within the next few days. Containment of the virus is too late now, Hay added.

According to the WHO, swine flu is transmitted to humans from infected pigs, while human-to-human transmission is limited to “close contacts and closed groups of people.” The report added that the virus cannot be transmissible to humans from eating properly prepared and cooked pork. The virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 160°F/70°C.

The symptoms exhibited by a person infected with the strain are similar to seasonal influenza, which broadly ranges from from asymptomatic infection to severe pneumonia that results in death.

Malaysians are prepared

On the local front, Malaysia has announced that it will follow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to keep this lethal strain of influenza out.

Among these steps include the monitoring of Malaysians or visitors from Mexico, California and Texas after 17 April for symptoms of the flu at all entry points to the country and the activation of an operations room under the Department for Disease Control to monitor the situation in cooperation with WHO.

The Health Ministry has also issued a travel advisory warning against Malaysians visiting Mexico, Canada and selected US states, including New York, Kansas and Ohio where reports of swine flu infection have been confirmed.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that although the WHO has not called for any travel or trade sanctions, Malaysians are still advised against visiting these places for the time being. Liow added that that the ministry was contemplating obtaining vaccinations against the strain for pig farmers and other frontline agencies like the police and those in the medical line.

The minister also said that thermal scanners would be placed at international airports to expedite the screening of travellers, adding that the country is on high alert and that the Health Ministry is ready to take on the outbreak.

In Penang, authorities have been placed on round-the-clock high alert to prevent the spread of the deadly flu while in Johor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the procedures used during the bird flu pandemic five years ago would be used again and tightened to prevent any outbreaks