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		Still no answer to the cause or causes of the current viral epidemic. There must be more concerted efforts to identify the virus or viruses responsible for the current outbreak in which by 5 april, 1999 there have been 85 deaths.
		Since last year, there has been an outbreak of viral encephalitis. Although the Health Minister has been talking of Japanese Encephalitis, JE, he has been dithering. He then mentions the findings of virologists from the Atlanta's Centre for Control and Prevention of Diseases, CDC, as Hendra-like viral encephalitis, HE. What is it? All we know is that the victims have had something to do with pigs. Other animals such as bats, cats and horses have been mentioned. Hitherto, the Government concentrates on culling hundreds of thousands of pigs, fogging of Culex mosquitoes in affected areas and mass vaccination against JE. The measures are blunderbuss, hoping that				the virus will somehow go away. These are measures which should have been taken much earlier. The consequences of the outbreak are staggering: thousands of people have lost their livelihood. The pig industry is paralyzed. People need help. The Governemt is providing some assistance such as by compensating RM50 for every pig culled. This is a paltry sum. It takes RM150 to RM200 to rear a pig. Although there is a 21-month-old economic crisis, we hope that the Government would try its utmost to raise more funds to help the victims. Meanwhile, more concerted efforts are needed to identify the virus and to be more transparent in letting the people know the truth. Dr Tan Seng Giaw



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