Malaysia detects first imported H7N9 case

Malaysian Health Ministry confirmed Wednesday that the first imported Influenza A (H7N9) case was detected in the country and the victim was a female tourist from China. The 67-year-old Chinese woman has begun to have a fever since Feb. 30 in China, where she received some early treatments. Then she came to Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 3 from China's Guangdong Province. The woman then went to Sandakan, Sabah on Feb. 4 and moved on to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on Feb. 6 where she was sent to hospital on Feb. 7. In the first screening, the woman was tested positive for the H7N9. And after the second screening on Feb. 11, she was confirmed to be tested positive for the H7N9. Twenty people who used to have close contact with the patient have got screening and tested negative for the disease. "She is currently receiving treatment in the ICU, put on ventilator and is in a stable condition," Malaysian Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam told a press conference. He said there was no need to panic as the risk for human transmission of H7N9 is very low.