 | | | | ||||
|  [
Index
] | ||||||
 | |||||||
| | | | | |||
Pigs In Many Malaysian States Are Tested Positive To Virus Causing The Epidemic Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the detection of virus that causes the epidemic in more states in Malaysia on 21 may 1999. | |||||||
|
Officially, 100 people have died from the viral epidemic. We hope that there will be no more. The first case of the viral death was reported at the Ipoh Hospital on 4 November 1998. We can refer to this month for the subsequent government measures. In the Dewan Rakyat, the Deputy Agriculture Minister confirmed that before and after November 1998, animals such as horses did die. The Veterinary Services Department has investigated the causes of these deaths. Hitherto, the findings have not been disclosed. We continue to ask about the bats at the caves, the stud farm, race course and pig farms at Tambun. A rumour has it that someone has imported horses from Hendra, Australia, and these have been kept at Tambun. The Government has not | |
answered. We still do not know the nature, the character, the reservoir and the mode of transmission of the virus. In the last seven months, it appears in several states. Has it been around for much longer than seven months? Could it be one or more years? Although the media carry the report that bats can spread Hendra or similar virus, we have no idea about the relationship between the virus and the warm-blooded animals. The Government was only fixed on Japanese encephalitis. True, men contracted the disease from pigs but not from other men. Once the viral antibody is found among pigs or other animals, they are destroyed. Does this mean that this is the correct step? Is the Government prepared to look for alternatives?
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
| | | | | ||||
 | | |||||||
| [ Home | Political | Medical | Personal ] | Article #71 | |||||||
| [ Recent | Archives | Forum | Feedback ] | [
Index
]
| | | | |
| | ||
