Malaysia Considers Steps to Combat Virus Scare

April 12, 1999

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April 12, 1999

By AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE

UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysia's transport ministry will consider a

proposal to spray the cabins of aircraft leaving the new Kuala Lumpur

International Airport with insecticide, amid a virus outbreak which has

claimed 93 lives, reports said Sunday.

Deputy transport minister Ibrahim Saad said the idea was proposed by

veterinary and poultry industry officials in the fear some Culex mosquitoes

could be " transported " to other destinations, so spreading the deadly

Japanese encephalitis virus.

" The ministry will consider this recommendation as it is meant to safeguard

the well-being of airline passengers, " he was quoted as saying by the New

Sunday Times newspaper.

Ibrahim said the government would first consult with medical experts before

making a decision.

Officials said Sunday that a deadly viral epidemic has killed 93 people, and

there had been 247 infections since the outbreak began in October.

Authorities had intially blamed all the deaths on an outbreak of the

Japanese encephalitis harboured in pigs and carried by the Culex mosquito.

Malaysian officials, backed by US Centers for Disease Control, have

reassured tourists the country is safe to travel as the killer disease is

confined to pig farms.

The epidemic broke out in northern Perak state in October and spread to

Negeri Sembilan two months later, prompting a health scare and crippling

Malaysia's 1.5 billion ringgit (395 million dollar) pig industry.

The epidemic has also hit the tourism industry and caused pork sales to

slump by 70 percent. Most of the Chinese community, which makes up one-third

of Malaysia's population, have switched to chicken and seafood.

Pork is considered unclean for Moslems, who account for the majority of

Malaysia's 22 million people.

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