Malaysian kids told to stay inside

Malaysian kids told to stay inside

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The Malaysian government told 40,000 infants in the eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island yesterday to stay indoors as the death toll from an airborne viral attack rose to 25.

The ministry also ordered that contact with children below two years be limited to reduce their exposure to potential sources of the Coxsackie virus B, said Health Minister Chua Jui Meng.

The latest victim was a 22-month-old baby boy who died early yesterday in a hospital in Sibu.

"At present, 118 children are receiving treatment for the disease in hospitals throughout the state," Chua was reported as saying by Bernama news agency in Sarawak.