MALAYSIA WATCHING CLOSELY ON AUSSIE ARRIVALS
AUSTRALIANS visiting Malaysia will be closely watched as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
This is because they come from a country that is affected by swine flu, or officially known as A/H1N1.
Some of the Aussies will be screened only once, but others depending on their appearance such as looking ill, may have to be screened at least twice.
Reports I received from my contacts in Malaysia say that more health officers have been assigned to the KLIA to ensure that “strict checks” will be maintained on tourists, especially from Australia, the United States, Mexico and the Philippines.
Malaysian health authorities are concerned that more Australians are believed to be suffering from the swine flu, which reportedly has killed seven people. But the deaths have not been confirmed as due to swine flu. Some of the victims are understood to have also other ailments.
Five of the deaths were from Melbourne and the remaining two from Perth.
In recent weeks more than 1,000 students from various private senior high schools had been told to stay at home as six of them had been diagnosed as having the A/H1N1 virus.
But what is surprising, though, it is not known yet how the six students had caught the disease. They had not been overseas or interstate recently where swine flu is more prevalent.
They have been among the 70 confirmed cases of swine flu in Western Australia. Throughout Australia the total number of A/H1N1 confirmed cases has increased to 1515.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the the spread of the disease to other parts of the country is inevitable.
However, medical authorities have cleared some of the schools and students were allowed to return from their unexpected holidays. There is still some uneasy feelings.
Roxon also announces that a swine flu vaccine would become available next month. What is available now is antiviral drug called Tamiflu, which generally costs $60.
For those who can’t afford to buy Tamiflu, there is still a hope. It is an alternative treatment using a Chinese spice, one of the ingredients normally used in Chinese cooking, according to my contact Manuel Dorall quoting a Chinese doctor.
The doctor’s “prescription” is: Get nine pieces of star anise, put them in an earthen pot, pour six cups of water into it and boil for about 30-40 minutes until the water is reduced to about four cups and drink half a cup of the boiled water twice a day until the flu is over. Do not use a metal pot.
To add flavour to the drink, add a couple of red dates to the concoction when boiling, but remove the seeds first.
The doctor says that judging from the reported characteristics of the swine flu, it is a warm-type of epidemic, which develops quickly and kills quickly.
“The best thing to do is strengthen your immune system, stay healthy, drink lots of warm water, vitamin C, sleep well and stay away from crowded places,” he adds.
“The star-anise water may make you feel a little dizzy for a few minutes but it is all right.”
According to the doctor this alternative remedy is just as effective as any Westeren drug available for swinbe flu.
But I would suggest that you consult your own doctor before using this alternative treatment as each individual may have some other ailments which could cause complication. – Jeff Francis.
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