KUALA LUMPUR: No death from Influenza A (H1N1) was reported in the country for three consecutive days, with the death toll due to the virus still at 68 people until today (23 August), Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said.

He said a total of 1,476 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) were still being treated at 102 hospitals, including two private hospitals, nationwide.

Of the total, only 272 people (18 percent) were confirmed positive with H1N1, he added.

He said 39 of them, who included two new cases, were in the Intensive Care Unit.

At the global level, a report by the World Health Organisation showed that there were a total of 235,897 H1N1 cases, with 2,543 deaths, in 182 countries.

However, the report also stated that the figures did not reflect the actual situation as WHO no longer made it compulsory for the affected countries to report H1N1 cases. (Bernama)