KOTA KINABALU: Although the second wave of H1N1 has not reached the country yet, the public is advised to continue being cautious as Influenza A (H1N1) is still active in Malaysia.Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said although the number of H1N1 cases admitted to hospitals had reduced to 30 to 40 per cent, it did not mean that Malaysia would be free from the second wave, which was already hitting several other countries.

“We are grateful that it (second wave) has not reached us…but we cannot declare that Malaysia is H1NI-free as there are still infected cases reported in some states. However, the number of deaths remains at 77 since a few months ago.

“Still, we cannot afford to be complacent but be cautious and take the neces-sary preventive measures,” she said after launching the Second International Conference on Rural Medicine, here, yesterday.

On related developments, she said Sabah had received the first batch of 2,000 doses of vaccine from the total 400,000 doses ordered by the ministry from a UK company, to be delivered in stages.

“By January, we should be able to get the whole lot allocated for Sabah, which is 20,000 doses.

“However, Sabah is not one of the high-risk states compared to Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which is an international gateway.”

Rosnah also assured that should the need arise, the ministry was ready to order more vaccine as the 400,000 doses were meant to cover the current situation, and that the operations room would be monitoring the H1N1 situation.

Asked about lesser people wearing masks now, Rosnah said the high-risk groups and potential carriers (who show symptoms) were advised to continue taking precautionary measures.

On the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC), she said the government had completed 100 per cent takeover of the facility and that upgrading works costing RM90 million were currently being done.

“The ministry, like the people of Sabah, is anxious to have the SMC ready for 100 per cent service. We have asked the relevant parties to complete the upgrading, if possible, in less than six months.”

On opposition parties complaining lamenting the shortage of hospital beds following Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s (QEH) deteriorating condition, Rosnah said this was expected but it was the government which provided the solutions.

“(The takeover of) SMC is meant to resolve the shortage,” she said, adding that the ministry was proposing projects under the Tenth Malaysia Plan which among others, emphasised on building new hospitals and rural clinics.

She said Sabah too would have three 1Malaysia clinics, in Tanjung Aru (Kota Kinabalu), Tawau and Sandakan, as had been announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. — Bernama