Flood victims warned of water-borne diseases

Saturday December 22, 2007

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Flood victims should take precautionary measures when they return home from evacuation centres to prevent being infected with water-borne diseases.

Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said typhoid; cholera and hepatitis A were found to have increased during or after floods.

He said drinking contaminated water could lead to these diseases.

It was estimated that about 20% of the water-borne diseases were contracted after floods and people had to take preventive measures, he said, reminding people to drink only boiled water.

“Parents should also see that their children do not play in flood waters as it will increase risk of wound infections, dermatitis, conjunctivitis and ear, nose and throat infections,” he said.

He was speaking after opening the 'Healthy Living Programme’ held at Dewan Serbaguna, Taman Chai Leng, Prai near here Saturday.

He also advised flood victims returning home to make sure their houses were thoroughly cleaned to prevent infections.

Alert on TB and HFMD

Monday September 24, 2007

By DHARMENDER SINGH

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.