Health director-general Dr Mohd Ismail Merican urged members of the public with A(H1N1) symptoms to avoid going into crowded places as the death toll rose to 59, including three latest deaths.

"Despite numerous reminders, the ministry still finds individuals with A(H1N1) symptoms going to public places and some do so without wearing face masks," he said in a statement.

He also called on people with flu-like symptoms to stay at home until they recovered.

On the three latest deaths, Ismail said they involved two men aged 22 and 29 and a 44-year-old woman.

The two deaths occurred on Aug 12 and the other on Aug 13.

Ismail also said that there were 120 patients still being treated in hospital wards and another 29 in intensive care units.

He also clarified that antiviral drugs were only for treating patients and not to prevent them from being infected.

He added that the drugs could be obtained for free in government hospitals and clinics.

Antiviral treatment, however, would only be given to those with influenza-like illness, those in the risk factor and people with high fever.

"These three groups can be given antiviral drugs without having to wait for influenza tests," he said.

Five million M’sians at risk

In a related development, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said up to five million or 20 percent of Malaysians were expose to the risk of A(H1N1) infections if the people did not take preventive measures.

Citing a World Health Organisation (WHO) statistic, Liow said, the world health body had also predicted that the pandemic could go on for up to a year.

Liow also said that a study by the WHO also showed that the actual number of people infected with the virus was 20 times more than the number of reported cases.

In the case of Malaysia, this could translate into 70,000 people compared to the reported cases of 3,574, he said.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Lim Kit Siang has asked health minister why Malaysia’s death rate is four times the global case fatality rate.

“The mortality rate in Malaysia is close to 2% instead of the 0.1% to 0.4% as estimated by the Health Ministry. It reflects an unusual phenomenon.

“Without finding out the crux of the problem, assuming that five million of people are infected, probably 100,000 of them will die, instead of 5,000 to 28,000 as estimated by WHO.

All information on the pandemic can be obtained via the ministry's hotlines at 03-88810200 and 03-88810300 and websites, here and here .

- Bernama