Media & Swine Flu 2009, SARS 2003

- THANKS TO THE MEDIA TO ALERT SUCH EPIDEMIC
- BUT DO HOPE ALSO THAT MEDIA DO NOT OVER REPORT OR ZOOMING IN TOO BIG OF SOME MICRO CASES WHICH CREATE OVER ANXIETY AMONGST THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
- SARS 2003 WAS FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT MEDIA HAS OVER REPORTED THE SERIOUSNESS
- NOW, THE WORLD ECONOMY CRISIS, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT MEDIA HAS BOMBADED WITH "EVERYDAY NEGATIVE NEWS" WHICH REDUCE THE CONSUMERS' CONFIDENCE .
- ONLY LAST 2 WEEKS WE START SEEING SOME LITTLE GOOD NEWS FROM USA RECOVERY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. WE NEED SOME MOTIVATION AND ENOUGH WITH CONTINUOUS NEGATIVE NEWS OF MANKIND IN THE 1ST 10 YEARS OF NEW MILLENIUM

BY NEIL FOO

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry is fully prepared to deal with any spread of the swine flu and has placed its officers at all travel entry points in Malaysia to screen travellers suspected of the illness.
The officers, he said, would be at airports, sea ports and land entry points.
“Since the virus spreads from human to human, we are placed on high alert.”
Even if there was no direct flight from Mexico, passengers originating from there would also be screened, he said.

Liow said pork in the country was safe to be consumed, explaining that Malaysia did not import the meat from Mexico.

On Thursday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 854 cases of severe atypical pneumonia that resulted in 59 deaths in Mexico.

The situation is now considered a public health emergency of international concern.

In the United States, at least 10 people have tested positive for the virus which causes symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches and breathing difficulties.

Since the SARS outbreak in 2003, the ministry had come up with strategic plans to battle any similar outbreak.

“We also keep in constant contact with WHO to find out the latest update,” Liow said.
According to WHO, there are now currently no directives on health, travel and trade sanctions that countries have to adhere to.