Public Health: Malaysia deals with in-flight H1N1

Whilst neighbouring Singapore reduces its level from Orange to Yellow, Malaysia is identifying and quarantining more than 200 people who flew from Newark, New York to Kuala Lumpur from where one took an onbound flight to Penang.

The two people, travelling together were on Malaysia Airlines MH091 direct to KUL from Newark, New Jersey. That flight landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport's primary international terminal (called The Satellite" at 07:15 on Wednesday 13 May. The only route from the Satellite to the main terminal (and immigration and baggage retrieval) is by shuttle train and so the pair will have used that.

The man was met at the airport by his family. Shortly after arriving home, he developed a fever and remained at home. As his condition worsened, his family took him to hospital in the evening of the following day where he was immediately quarantined and a diagnosis confirmed.

His travelling companion, meantime, had made her way from KLIA's main terminal to the Low Cost Carrier Terminal or LCCT. There are two possible forms of transport between the two parts of KLIA: taxi or shuttle bus. At present, the authorities have not said which she adopted.

At LCCT, she boarded an Air Asia flight number AK5358 for Penang.That flight has a scheduled departure time of 11:00. The woman will, perhaps, have arrived at LCCT at approx 09:00. LCCT has recently undergone a major facelift and there now several new F&B outlets and shops. However, a supplemental check in counter area has been opened for some Air Asia flights and recently the information screens had not been updated and signs were inadequate leading to passengers moving around much more than necessary.

Both the man and the woman were still in hospital quarantine last night when Deputy Director General of Health, Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat briefed journalists on the current state of play.

He said that both families were under home quarantine but, even though the three-day incubation period had now passed, none were showing signs of the infection. However, the quarantine period was not yet up, he said.

95 passengers and crew from flight MH091 are on home quarantine: none have shown any symptoms to date. That number included 15 foreigners. However, 24 passengers, including 23 foreigners, have not yet been located.

The authorities are also trying to trace 101 passengers and five crew from AK5358. The deputy DG said that they had all been identified and the focus was now on contacting them and arranging for home quarantine.