New virus found in Sarawak<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): The death toll from a new virus strain
\nin Malaysia's Borneo state of Sarawak has climbed to 19, local
\nnewspapers reported on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Sarawak state director of medical and health services
\ndepartment, Mohammed Taha Arif was quoted by the papers as saying
\nthat two more infants succumbed to the Coxsackie B virus on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
He said 29 children were in an isolation ward at the general
\nhospital in Sibu, a coastal town in Sarawak state.<\/p>\n
The Coxsackie B virus has also struck children in the state
\ncapital of Kuching and Sarikei in Sarawak.<\/p>\n
The deputy chief minister of Sarawak George Chan Hong Nam said
\nexperts from the World Health Organization and the Centers for
\nDisease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will arrive in Sibu on
\nMonday to assist local health authorities in tackling the
\ninfection, which started in April.<\/p>\n
Kindergarten schools in Sibu have been ordered to close, while
\nprimary schools in the affected areas have been told to consider
\nwhether to close down the first three grades of their schools as
\nwell.<\/p>\n
The virus, which can be carried by air, was originally found
\nin infected food, health officials have said. Symptoms include
\nfever, nervous fits, paralysis and finally heart failure.<\/p>",
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