Malaysia : Influenza A (H1N1): Lawyer is latest victim

This time is via News Straits Times, more information is provided:

" A 42-year-old lawyer from Johor is the latest victim of influenza A (H1N1), bringing the death toll to 81 since May last year.

The victim died on Monday and is the fourth fatality of the disease this year.

The other three are a 22-year-old woman who died at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian on Feb 28, and a woman and her pregnant daughter who died at Malacca Hospital on March 30.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the lawyer who showed influenza-like illness (ILI) on March 27, sought treatment at a private hospital in Johor Baru nine days later.

"Throat swab samples showed him to be positive for H1N1.

"However, due to the lawyer being obese, he suffered complications including kidney failure and sepsis and subsequently succumbed at the hospital's intensive care unit on Monday."

Dr Ismail said this during a press conference after chairing a meeting of the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) technical committee yesterday.

A total of 678 people were in hospitals with ILI symptoms as at 5.30pm on Monday, and of the number, 66 were confirmed to be suffering from H1N1.

Five of them are currently in intensive care.

Dr Ismail said there were 13 new ILI cluster cases reported in five states -- Terengganu, Johor, Kedah, Selangor and Malacca -- involving more than 50 schoolchildren.

They are:
- seven pupils of SMK Kijal, Kemaman in Terengganu;
- four kindergarten children in Tadika Pasti Al-Ukhuwah, Taman Sri Kluang, Johor;
- six pupils of SMK Kuala Nerang, Padang Terap, Kedah;
- 11 pupils of SMK Dato' Syed Ahmad, Padang Terap, Kedah;
- 13 pupils of KDU Smart School, Kota Damansara, Selangor.
Four of the pupils were confirmed as suffering from H1N1;
- undisclosed number of pupils of SRJK (C) Yak Chee, Batu 8, Puchong,
Selangor of whom two have H1N1;
- undisclosed number of pupils of SK Puchong Indah, Selangor of whom one has H1N1;
- undisclosed number of pupils of SRJK (C) Ladang Hancroft, Puchong Jaya;
- undisclosed number of pupils of SM Teknik Shah Alam of whom one is confirmed to be positive for H1N1;
- undisclosed number of pupils from SK USJ 12 of whom two have been tested positive for H1N1;
- four pupils of SRJK Chung Hua, Kota Kemuning, Selangor;
- two inmates of Maahad Tahfiz Cenderah, Jasin, Malacca;
and- three pupils of SMK Tun Perak, Jasin, Malacca.

"We are waiting for laboratory results to ascertain how many are positive for H1N1," Dr Ismail said. "