M'SIA: 574 PRODUCTS CERTIFIED FREE OF MELAMINE

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- A total of 574 products from 25 companies have been certified free of melamine after a series of tests conducted by the Health Ministry, its Director-General Dr Ismail Merican said.

He said tests also found that the products did not contain milk
from China.

He also said that a total of 132 products worth RM18,335 had been seized
nationwide following the melamine scare.

"Wednesday, we have certified 324 products from 11 companies to be free of
melamine. Today the number has increased (to 574 products) and members of the
public are free to consume them," he told reporters here.

On the 53 products seized by the ministry Wednesday, Dr Ismail said,
seven of them had been certified safe for consumption.

The seven products are Passion chocolate coated wafer, Oreo white chocolate
wafer stick, Walls' Mini Cornetto Choco Mint & Tiramisu flavour, Wall's Moo Soft
Cookie, Dutch Lady 123 Honey-flavoured milk powder, Dutch Lady
strawberry-flavoured milk and Frisolac infant formula milk powder.

On the spread of dengue and chikungunya diseases, Dr Ismail said, it was
under control and the public should not be unduly alarmed.

He said although there was an increase in the number of cases in some
states, the total number of cases was still low compared to last year.

From January to Sept 20 this year, a total of 31,536 dengue cases with 72
deaths were reported, a declined compared to 37,745 cases during the same period
last year.

"Among the states which saw an increase in dengue cases between Sept 14 and
20 were Selangor, Johor, Perak, Terengganu and Sarawak," he said.

He also said that there were 2,230 chikungunya cases reported until Sept 20
this year. There were no deaths.

"Johor recorded the highest number with 1,170 cases followed by Melaka
(513), Perak (195), Pahang (164), Negeri Sembilan (129), Selangor (47),
Putrajaya (4), Sarawak (3), Kuala Lumpur (2), Penang (2) and Kelantan, one
case," he said.

-- BERNAMA