The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| WHO urges vigilance over SARS-like virus Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:18 AM PST  A masked man looks at a model of the coronavirus of SARS at city hall in Taipei in 2003. A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people in 2003. – AFP pic "Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns," the United Nations health agency said in a statement. On Friday, British health authorities said that a third member of a family had been diagnosed with so-called novel coronavirus, but was not in danger. "Although this new case offers further indications of person-to-person transmission, no sustained person-to-person transmission has been identified," said the WHO. "Testing for the new coronavirus should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonias, or in patients with unexplained severe, progressive or complicated respiratory illness not responding to treatment," it added. Clusters of cases, and cases among health workers, should be thoroughly investigated wherever they occur, it underlined. Britain's Health Protection Agency said the latest person to contract the virus was a relative of two other cases announced earlier this week. The first member of the family, who was confirmed on Monday as having the virus, had recently travelled to the Middle East and Pakistan. The two relatives had no recent travel history. A total of 12 cases have been reported to the WHO, with five of them fatal – three in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan. Coronaviruses are to blame for most common colds but can also cause SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare. – AFP/Relaxnews |
| Grand birthday celebration for the Jade Emperor Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:41 AM PST  Devotees praying to the Jade Emperor at the Jade Emperor temple in Penang. – Picture by K.E. Ooi The deity's birthday, which falls on the ninth day of the Lunar new year, is usually observed by the Hokkien community with offerings of sugar cane, roast pigs, fruits, ang koo (glutinous rice cakes), mee koo (red buns) and huat kuih (steamed rice cakes). According to Taoist belief, the Jade Emperor or Thnee Kong, is considered the supreme ruler of the heaven and universe and this grand celebration, considered even more grand than the first day of the Chinese New Year, is also regarded as the start of the Hokkien New Year. Legend has it that the Hokkiens in Fujian had to go into hiding from a cruel general in China during the Song Dynasty and they hid in a sugar cane plantation for nine days during the Lunar New Year. Ever since, the ninth day of the Lunar New Year is celebrated grandly with offerings to Thnee Kong to give thanks for saving the Hokkien community and also to seek blessings.  Thousands of devotees at the Jade Emperor's birthday celebration at Chew Jetty in Penang. – Picture by K.E. Ooi At the clan jetties, a 50-metre long table was set up and food offerings were placed on the table for the deity while giant dragon joss sticks were also burned. At the stroke of midnight, fireworks and firecrackers light up the night skies as devotees offer prayers to the Jade Emperor. The clan jetties took on a festival atmosphere with a live stage show and lion dance performances held last night despite the heavy downpour in the hours leading up to midnight. Over at Thnee Kong Tnuah at Air Itam, more devotees thronged the temple to offer up prayers to the deity and seek blessings. All over the state, businesses and homes also set up makeshift altars in front of their premises where sugar canes flanked the altars while folded joss paper were burnt as offerings. This morning, more devotees made their way to the temple to pray to the Jade Emperor and make fruit offerings to the deity to seek good fortune and health for the new year and to thank and honour the deity. |
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