CONFIRMED NO A(H1N1) VIRUS IN MALAYSIA :)

New Zealander cleared of flu

BY ROYCE CHEAH

KUALA LUMPUR: The blood samples of a New Zealander, warded for fever and body aches at the Penang Hospital, have tested negative for the influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said tests at the Institute for Medical Research here confirmed that the samples had come back negative for the virus.

On Saturday, Liow had said Malaysia had not reported any suspected case of the virus.

He also said that a woman, who had been placed under home quarantine for seven days after being on board the same flight as the Mexican man diagnosed with having the virus in Hong Kong, had not shown any symptom of the illness.

He said the woman was into her third day of quarantine and that the ministry would continue to monitor her condition.

The flu scare is real, thanks to the attention that the media is giving to the A (H1N1) virus. Yesterday, a friend of mine said that the virus had come to Malaysia with one case in Penang (and Johor?!). The woman Liow mentioned could be the one under home quarantine. Perhaps the Chinese newspapers are the ones sensationalising these two (un)confirmed cases in Malaysia.