Brushing H1N1 in Balik Pulau

Believe it or not, Balik Pulau's not untouchable for Influenza A(H1N1), also known as "swine flu"... Bernama reported closure of six institutions including two in Balik Pulau, namely Sekolah Menengah Teknik Balik Pulau and the White Resort National Service Camp.

H1n1: Six Education Institutes In Penang Ordered To Close

PENANG, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Six more institutes of education here have been ordered to close for a week, beginning today, due to the Influenza A (H1N1) infection.

State health, welfare, caring society and environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said they comprised three in North Seberang Perai, one in South Seberang Perai and two in South-West District.

He said this brought to 30, the number of institutes ordered to close in the state due to the infection.

"Among the six institutes which ceased operation today are Sekolah Menengah Teknik Balik Pulau, Sekolah Menengah Penaga, Sekolah Menengah Pokok Sena and National Service White Resort Balik Pulau Camp.

"The rest have yet to be confirmed," he told Bernama when contacted here today.

He said the state health authorities needed to shut down the institutes to prevent further transmission after cluster cases found

"Those who had been told to go on self-quarantine should do so for their own sake and the community," he said.

As of 8am today, the number of accumulated H1N1 cases recorded by the health ministry nationwide stood at 574 imported cases, 886 locally-transmitted with 96.5 per cent recovery cases and eight deaths.

-- BERNAMA*

* also in another similar, same-day report:

• H1n1: Two NS Camps, One College Closed

Learn more about Influenza A(H1N1):

• Wikipedia: Influenza A virus subtype H1N1
• Latest report from Ministry of Health Malaysia (in Malay): Laman Web Rasmi Influenza A(H1N1) - Information also obtainable via phone: 03-88810200 dan 03-88810300 between 10am until 5pm.
• Follow news on "h1n1 malaysia"
• There's even a H1N1 Malaysia facebook group for you to mingle around (instead of socializing too much outside!)
• More feeds on "h1n1" involving Malaysia
  

Do you know?

• Spanish Flu, caused by a H1N1 type of virus, killed between 50 to 100 million people in just one year between 1918 to 1919! - FAS
  
• H1N1 strains caused roughly half of all human flu infections in 2006 - CDC
• 2009 flu pandemic really is caused by a mutation from several strains including two swine-origin H1N1 despite some calls for the world to stop calling it "swine flu" - WHO. However, no known cases of transmission through eating exist, or expected to happen.
  
• The most recent global flu pandemic before this year was over 30 years ago - the 1968 Hong Kong flu.
• The "new H1N1" was first identified in April 2009.
• Well over 200,000 cases in 174 countries have been identified as of August, 1% of which are in Malaysia. 1,808 deaths have been reported globally, including 32 confirmed deaths in Malaysia as of 10 AUG 2009.