Health

Swine flu victims discharged

All the 27 reported cases of swine flu in the country have received the necessary treatment and left the hospitals, the Ministry of Health says.

Seven people who came from abroad and were infected with the H1N1 virus have been discharged from hospitals after complete recoveries, the Ministry of Health announced today. This means all the 27 reported cases in the country have received the necessary treatment and left the hospitals, the statement added. The first case of swine flu was reported in the country in May and since then, to combat the virus, airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have installed heat-detecting scanners. The machines alert officials if a passenger's body temperature is above 38°C. The illness has spread to 117 countries with more than 77,000 confirmed cases worldwide. * WAM

Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.