Swine Flu - Update

Mengikut kenyataan CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) sehingga kini belum ada vaksin untuk penyakit demam selsema babi (virus H1N1). Anda disarankan mengamalkan langkah berjaga-jaga untuk menghalang penyebaran kuman penyebab penyakit-penyakit berkaitan sistem respirasi seperti influenza. Langkah-langkah berikut boleh dilakukan sebagai amalan harian:
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1) menutup mulut dan hidung dengan tisu ketika bersin atau batuk,
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2) kerap membasuh tangan dengan sabun dan air, terutamanya selepas bersin atau batuk,
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3) elakkan daripada bersentuh secara langsung dengan pesakit,
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4) seberapa boleh, elakkan daripada menyentuh mata, hidung dan mulut anda kerana kuman biasanya merebak dangan cara ini.
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Rajah di bawah (ehsan AFP) menunjukkan bagaimana kompleksnya virus influenza yang sekian lama menjadi ilusi kepada penyelidik perubatan kerana keupayaannya berubah struktur genetik yang seterusnya melepasi sistem imuniti perumah.
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Grafik dengan ehsan AFP

Sekiranya anda anda sakit sehingga 7 hari selepas anda mengalami tanda-tanda sakit, anda disarankan berehat di rumah. Juga, teruskan berehat sehingga sekurang-kurangnya 24 jam selepas tanda-tanda sakit anda hilang.

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Semoga anda, dengan berkat usaha anda dan rahmatNya mengikut kepercayaan masing-masing, akan terlindung daripada malapetaka.

Bacaan selanjutnya - Flu H1N1 (Swine Flu) dan Anda.
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Only in Malaysia? - Sued for loss of virginity!

You have heard of people suing for the weirdest of things in the USA, such as dump truck driver suing his employer over mistake of his own. Of people suing McDonald's for serving coffee that is too hot, of burglar who broke into a house and sue the owner because he got cut on the glass, of people asking for a ride and when an accidents happens, your passenger will sue you for medical expenses, and the list goes on.
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That's in the USA right? Well..welcome home to Malaysia. Here's one for a light breakfast treat for you - Loss of virginity: Woman files suit against hubby.

This happened in Kuching and it is about a school teacher who sued her husband, claiming for a few million ringgit damages over the loss of her virginity. The article by The Malaysian Bar stated that "..she made a claim (from the husband) for the loss of her virginity, ‘loss of damage for humiliation’ and mental torture including harm suffered. In addition, she was also asking for the Kancil car given to her as a gift (out of a promise) to be returned."

I do not mean to interfere with the proceeding but I would be very much interested at how this would be concluded. I'm sure it will have big impact on how people look at "strange" cases in the future. Hmm.... I better keep my mouth shut!

Further readings Here

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Swine Flu: Know Your Enemy!

For the benefit of all, I tried to simplify a long literature about swine flu in a hope that we get an idea of it at single glance. There's a saying: To defeat your enemies, you must know them well.

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What is it? A respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Here are some of the facts all of us need to know about the flu:-

Can humans catch swine flu? Yes, although not normally. Most cases involve people with direct exposure to pigs.

Symptoms of swine flu in humans - fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Signs of swine flu in pigs - fever, depression, coughing (barking), discharge from the nose or eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulties, eye redness or inflammation, and going off feed.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork? No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. One can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.

How does swine flu spread? When people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur.

Available edications - 4 types approved by the US so far: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Spreading of swine flu among pigs - mostly through close contact among pigs and possibly from contaminated objects moving between infected and uninfected pigs.

So far, there is no reported case of swine flu in Malaysia and the Government is preparing itself to counter the spread of the decease from arriving at our shore. Be better equipped and stay away from swine flu.

Further readings (here) - *hyperlink removed due to bad link*