MALAYSIA HAS VACCINE FOR SWINE FEVER

Malaysia has the vaccine for swine flu which can be used to stop the spread of the disease to this country, says Veterinary Services Director-General Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin.

The H1N1 vaccine should be injected into pigs as a preventive measure following reports of more than 100 people having died from swine flu in Mexico.

Dr Abdul Aziz told Bernama here Monday that the department was only waiting for the directive from the Health Ministry to carry out vaccination of livestock.

He believed that the H1N1 vaccine was also used by pig farms in other countries as a preventive measure against swine flu.

He also disclosed that Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai had issued a directive to all state Veterinary Services directors to monitor pig farms in their respective states as a precaution and to report on any sign of swine flu infection.

"Stern action will be taken against them if they fail to do this. They must also ensure that all the pig breeders follow instructions like their workers must wear masks," he said.

Dr Abd Aziz said state livestock breeders' associations were required to co-operate with the Veterinary Services Department by reporting on any symptom of swine flu.

"If their workers have similar symptoms for influenza, high fever, sore throat and body aches, they must be given leave and undergo medical examination immediately."

Dr Abdul Aziz said so far the department had not received any report of swine flu symptoms in the country. The disease also had the potential of being spread to birds but the possibility was remote.

"While avian flu can spread through food like by eating chicken, swine flu cannot be spread by eating pork but through human contact," he said.