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Thursday, September 27, 2007

Alert on TB and HFMD


PORT KLANG: The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in Klang has increased and people have been advised to seek immediate medical treatment if symptoms occur.

Klang MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew said 350 TB cases were reported in the first half of this year compared with 471 throughout last year.

On HFMD, she said 502 cases were already reported in the first half of this year compared with 300 cases throughout last year.

“Most of the TB patients fall in the 20-45 age group,” she said after launching a health clinic jointly organised by the Klang Wanita MIC and the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital Hindu Welfare Society at SMK Pandamaran Jaya yesterday.

Dr Tan said 86% of those afflicted with TB were Malaysians, adding that the health authorities were concerned. The symptoms include continuous coughing, weight loss, fatigue, fever, shivers and loss of appetite.

Dr Tan advised parents and kindergarten operators in Klang to look out for symptoms of HFMD in children.

She said kindergartens in Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Taman Eng Ann and Taman Pendamar Indah had to be closed to control the spread of the disease.

She said doctors testing samples of the HFMD here had found that the virus strain was different from the one in Sarawak.

Dr Tan also called on residents, non-governmental organisations and government agencies to work closer together to reduce the number of dengue cases in Klang.

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