The seventh "probable" Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) patient in Seremban Hospital revealed by the ministry yesterday has been reclassified as "suspected".

Ministry deputy director-general Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the hospital had reported an incorrect chest X-ray finding of the 42-year-old Indian Malaysian man, resulting in the ministry mistakenly categorising the patient as probable Sars.

Lesson to learn

"This is a lesson to be learnt here, please pass my message to all the clinicians and physicians. Before you report to the ministry, please make sure the fact is correct.

"We want Sars cases being notified to the ministry very fast and timely, but when it comes to a probable case, please ensure the chest X-ray finding is correct.

"If you are not sure, please consult radiology experts," Mohd Ismail ( left ) warned during his daily press briefing this morning.

The man who works as a lorry driver had returned from Singapore o­n April 8 and developed Sars symptoms o­n Saturday. He was hospitalised o­n Monday.

The patient was initially admitted as a suspected case, but the ministry yesterday told reporters that there have been changes in his latest chest X-ray, thus resulting in him being identified as the seventh probable Sars patient in the country.

On Monday, Mohd Ismail had rapped some hospitals for delaying their notification to the ministry o­n Sars cases.

Today, he reiterated the need for designated hospitals to inform the ministry of Sars cases fast, but with complete and accurate information.

With the latest development, the total probable Sars cases in the country is six.

One of them, the Indian national working o­n board a Star Cruise cruise-liner, has been discharged from the Langkawi hospital yesterday.

Three probable Sars patients are still warded; all of them at the Penang General Hospital.

The first probable Sars patient, a 64-year-old Chinese Malaysian from Jerantut, died o­n March 30 while the second patient, an 84-year-old Chinese Malaysian from Teluk Intan, has recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

KL topped the list

Up till yesterday, four new notification cases were reported, three of them suspected Sars.

All four have been isolated in designated hospitals. With 10 releases, the total of isolation cases is now 23, down from the previous figure of 29. Kuala Lumpur topped the list with six people followed by Perak with four.

Of the 23 isolated, three are probable cases, 10 each for suspected and notification cases. Two days ago, the numbers were five, 11 and 12 respectively.

Four foreigners are among those under isolation, hailing from United Kingdom, Nepal, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Of the number of home quarantined, two people linked to the Indian national have been given a clean bill of health after 10 days, reducing the total of home quarantines to 17.

Asked for comment o­n how the situation looks now, Mohd Ismail said although reported notification cases are decreasing, it is "too early to speculate" and the ministry still needs to monitor the situation closely.

Malaysia has recorded 223 notification cases since March, averaging seven cases per day.

Masks guideline

Asked o­n the guideline o­n masks, Mohd Ismail said he was uncertain whether it has been approved by the cabinet.

The "who, where and when" of compulsory masking up was proposed by the ministry last week and was supposed to have received cabinet approval two days ago.

"The guideline is ready, I have it here, but I don't know what happened in the cabinet, so better to let the minister (Chua Jui Meng) talk o­n this," Mohd Ismail said. However, Chua has yet to announce the contents of the guideline.

On media reports that Singapore universities have urged Malaysian students not to return home for fear of spreading the disease, Mohd Ismail said this issue would be addressed at the joint border health committee meeting next Monday at Johor Baru.