113 quarantined after taking flight from Mexico with flu case

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 113 people, who were on the same Mexico City-Shanghai flight with a Mexican national later diagnosed with influenza A/H1N1 in Hong Kong, are under quarantine, Chinese health authorities said Saturday.

None of them have displayed any flu symptoms so far.

The Mexican, a 25-year-old male, arrived in Shanghai Thursday aboard flight Aeromexico 098, which carried 176 people and 13 crewmembers.

Of the passengers, 56 disembarked in Shanghai, 41 caught a connecting flight to Guangzhou, 17 transferred to Beijing, and two were refused entry to China.

That accounts for 116 of the passengers, some of whom -- including the Mexican male -- flew on to Hong Kong, taking China Eastern Airlines flight MU505.

Wu Fan, chief of Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said all of the 48 passengers whose destinations were Shanghai were found. They are kept in a hotel for a week-long medical observation. Family members of these passengers were also told to maintain health observation at home.

The entire crew remained in Shanghai and were put into quarantine, Wu confirmed.

The health authorities in Shanghai are still looking for eight other passengers who also disembarked in Shanghai but only stay for a short period of time.

Of the 17 who flew to Beijing, two left the city for Hebei and Jiangsu provinces and were put into quarantine by local disease control and prevention centers.

The 15 whose final destination was Beijing were admitted by Beijing Ditan Hospital, Cheng Jun, deputy head of the hospital, told reporters Saturday.

The health authorities of south China's Guangdong Province said they had only found 30 of the 41 passengers who caught a connecting flight to Guangzhou together with the Mexican patient.

They are seeking the remaining 11 people, according to a notice issued by the Provincial Public Health Bureau Saturday morning.

East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces said Friday they found 16 passengers who took the same flight AM098 with the Mexican national. These passengers were all quarantined.

Health officials in Jiangsu reported they were notified by concerned departments in Beijing and Fujian Saturday about each passenger in the latter places who took the flight AM098 later traveled to Jiangsu. The two passengers were later found and were put under quarantine.

Four more people in Jiangsu Saturday also reported to health authorities claiming they either took the same AM098 flight or MU505with the Mexican national.

Relevant Chinese departments are still taking measures, including opening special telephone numbers to facilitate those who took the same flight AM098 with he Mexican national to report themselves.

The Mexican male became Hong Kong's first confirmed case of influenza A/H1N1 infection Friday, prompting authorities to immediately raise the flu alert level from serious to the highest level of emergency.

The patient checked into the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai, Hong Kong, on Thursday afternoon and developed flu symptoms such as lethargy, cough and a sore throat in the evening. The diagnosis was confirmed at a hospital, and the patient was put into quarantine, where he remained in stable condition Saturday. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/03/content_11301806.htm

Suspected case of flu A checked in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Xinhua) -- A suspected case of flu A/H1N1 was being checked in Malaysia, a local newspaper reported on Saturday.

Samples from a New Zealander, warded for body ache and fever at the Penang Hospital, have been sent to the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur, The Star quoted Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai as saying.

Anyone who had such symptoms would be checked, Liow said at George Town in Malaysia's northwestern state of Penang.

If the result of the samples showed a non-typeable flu, it would be a suspected case of flu A (H1N1), Liow was quoted as saying by the daily.

Only then another round of tests would be conducted to confirm it, he said.

The 45-year-old man arrived in Penang from New Zealand via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on April 25, according to the daily.

On March 1, he developed some fever and sought treatment at a private hospital in George Town.

Liow said the man was married to a Malaysian, and the test results should be out soon.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Source : http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/03/content_11301766.htm

Satu Pesawat dengan Penderita H1N1, 13 Turis China Dikarantina

Hong Kong - Belasan turis asal China yang sedang melakukan perjalanan satu pesawat dengan seorang pria Meksiko yang menderita Flu H1N1 (sebelumnya disebut flu babi) dikarantina di Hong Kong.

Juru bicara pemerintah setempat menyebutkan, 13 turis asal China tersebut dikarantina ke sebuah hotel yang terletak di distrik Tsuen Wan.

'Mereka satu pesawat dengan warga Meksiko," ujar otoritas setempat seperti dilansir AFP, Minggu (3/5/2009).

Dia mengatakan, selanjutnya, mereka akan dibawa ke Rumah Sakit Ratu Margaret, Hongkong, sebuah rumah sakit yang khusus menangani penyakit menular semacam flu babi.

"Tapi sejauh ini, dari 13 orang tersebut belum ada yang positif mengidap flu babi," imbuhnya.

Sebelumnya, pria berusia 25 tahun asal Meksiko yang terinfeksi flu H1N1 menginap di Metropark Hotel. Karena itulah sekitar 200 tamu dan 100 staf hotel diperintahkan untuk tetap berada di hotel selama 7 hari.

Otoritas Hong Kong menyatakan, tak seorang pun boleh meninggalkan hotel di Distrik Wanchai yang populer bagi para turis itu. Juga tak ada orang dari luar hotel yang dibolehkan masuk ke sana. Para jurnalis dan juru foto pun hanya berkumpul di jalanan di luar hotel yang dijaga ketat polisi tersebut. (anw/anw)

Sumber : Anwar Khumaini - detikNews

Influenza A(H1N1) - update 10

2 May 2009 -- The situation continues to evolve. As of 18:00 GMT+1, 2 May 2009, 16 countries have officially reported 658 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

1. Mexico has reported 397 confirmed human cases of infection, including 16 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico in the past 48 hours reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens.

2. The United States Government has reported 160 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths

3. Austria (1),

4. Canada (51),

5. China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1),

6. Costa Rica (1),

7. Denmark (1),

8. France (2),

9. Germany (6),

10. Israel (3),

11. Netherlands (1),

12. New Zealand (4),

13. Republic of Korea (1),

14. Spain (13),

15. Switzerland (1) and

16. the United Kingdom (15).

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.

There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

Source : http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_05_02a/en/index.html