Malaysians must not have the impression that the government is not as effective as Singapore in handling the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), said Health Minister Chua Jui Meng.

Over the past week, editorials in several newspapers, especially Chinese dailies, have published thinly-veiled criticism of Chua and his ministry over their management of the situation.

Hospital setting

"The fact speaks for itself. Singapore has 101 probable SARS cases and six deaths thus far. Malaysia still has o­nly o­ne probable SARS case and o­ne death, which was the same person," he told a press conference at his ministry this afternoon.

"Malaysians must be conscious that the government was pro-active in putting in place the necessary preventive measures in the designated hospitals."

The minister stressed that he was not suggesting that Singapore was not doing well in handling the outbreak of the deadly disease.

"If Singapore did well, we should praise them. Likewise, if Malaysia has successfully kept the situation under control, people should not belittle the government's ability and resolve to cope with the SARS outbreak," he said.

Among the measures the government has adopted are the creation of a special lane at designated hospitals for outpatients found with Sars symptoms, distribution of educational leaflets and the practice of 'barrier nursing' among healthcare providers.

"Eighty-five percent of probable SARS cases in Singapore happened among doctors and paramedics in the hospital setting. If barrier nursing was practised, this should not have happened," Chua said.

"Barrier nursing means protecting the healthcare providers with respiratory mask, gloves and protective clothing when it comes to attending to the patients... We did this immediately after the World Health Organisation's advisory came to us."

Terminology clarified

At his daily briefing, ministry director-general Dr Mohd Taha said seven new suspected cases of Sars were reported over the weekend. As at 6pm yesterday, 24 Malaysians were being isolated in special hospital wards.

He said their condition was "not very serious" and that they were waiting to be discharged.

Five families are currently being quarantined at home, he added. They include the families of a 64-year-old man from Jerantut, Pahang, who died two weeks ago after his return from Shanghai.

On Saturday, the ministry confirmed that his death was the "first probable Sars case" in the country.

The ministry has argued that "probable Sars" is the appropriate term to describe the mysterious disease after the media, both local and international, continued to refer to it simply as Sars.

Taha this afternoon refuted claims that the quarantined families were not assisted by the local health departments as reported in several newspapers.

"That (the claim) is not true... Our staff keep in touch with them by phone and visit them periodically. We are also prepared to get them food and take them to the hospital if they want to (go)," he said.

Clearer picture

From this week o­nwards, the ministry will no longer give out the cumulative number of suspected Sars cases, he said. Instead, it will instead provide the media with a daily update of new suspected cases and people isolated in hospital.

"The cumulative number is misleading because it includes people who were already screened and discharged but remain part of the statistics. The daily figure will therefore give a more accurate picture of the situation at any o­ne time," he said.

Clarifying the confusion between 'isolation' and 'quarantine', he said the former is used for suspected and probable Sars patients, while the latter is for those who come into contact with 'probable' cases.

Chua had earlier told reporters that the government would invoke the Prevention And Control Of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 against those who failed to abide by a quarantine order.

"We will request their co-operation to protect the community. If they fail to do so, then the law must be enforced by district health officers," he said.

Those convicted are liable to be jailed for up to two years of jail or fined, or to both. Repeat offenders may be jailed for a maximum of five years or fined.