IN KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIA has experienced three major outbreaks in recent years - Nipah virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Avian flu.

Yet, the two recently confirmed cases of H1N1 (swine) flu virus have yet to trigger panic in the country.

Many people are still walking around the city of  Kuala Lumpur  without covering their faces although pharmacies have started selling masks on their counters.

The two victims in Selangor and Penang are university students who had returned from the United States. Both were admitted in the Sungai Buloh Hospital in Selangor and the Penang Hospital respectively.

Their condition is reported to be stable.

The Health Ministry is currently asking fellow air passengers of the two friends, to report to the ministry, including those who travelled with one of them on an AirAsia flight from KL to Penang.

So far, 37 passengers from the same flight are under home quarantine while the ministry is still tracking 69 other passengers.

The ministry has been advising the public to avoid visiting affected countries.

Even though there is no mad scramble for safety measures, locals have taken some precautions of their own to reduce the chances of contracting the deadly disease.

In Penang, some people have started wearing face masks. A relative in Penang told me that she decided not to visit a friend in Penang Hospital as the flu victim is being treated there.

“Although there are only two cases in Malaysia, it is better if we try to stay away from the affected premises. I’ll visit my friend in her house after she is discharged,” she said.

Workers in both Sungai Buloh Hospital and Penang Hospital however are wearing face masks and gloves.

The Health Ministry is now pushing for the World Health Organisation to make it mandatory for all countries to conduct screenings at exit points.

The ministry today announced that Malaysia could be declared free of local transmission of the virus in two days if no local cases were detected.

Deputy Health director-general Dr Ramlee Rahmat said this was based on the calculation on the virus’ incubation period, which is seven days from May 13 when the first case was detected in Malaysia.

“So far there are no signs of the virus spreading locally. After May 20, we can declare that Malaysia is free of local transmission of the virus,” he said.

That comes as good news indeed.