Vi-Jean Khoo

Sore throat, cough, headaches, muscle aches and lethargy are among symptoms of Influenza Like-Illness.

A current total of 438 students in Perak have been identified to be suffering from an Influenza Like-Illness (ILI) according to the Perak Health Department.

“The number is a slight increase from 414 students (on Saturday),” the state health department said in a statement.

Numbers increased over span of few days

News of the ILI cluster in Perak surfaced last week, after 273 students from as many as five schools were reported to have suffered from symptoms of flu, sore throat, cough as well as headaches, muscle aches, joint pains and lethargy.

“A total of 29 students (16 male, 13 female) are being quarantined at the school’s hostel while the rest are confined at their homes,” said Perak Health Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon at the time. “So far, they are in stable condition. Most of them were complaining of fever, cough, body ache and sore throat.”

The number of cases has since risen to 438 students as of last night, affecting 225 school children from Sekolah Menengah Raja Perempuan Taayah, 115 students from Sekolah Tunku Abdul Rahman (STAR), 82 students from Sekolah Menengah Abdul Rahman Talib (SMART) in Teluk Intan, and three and 13 respectively from Sekolah Kebangsaan Klebang Jaya and Kolej Vokasional Slim River.

Out of the total, 304 students have been quarantined at their hostels while three are admitted and quarantined at a hospital ward, according to the statement by the Perak health department.

“A total of 15 throat swab specimens were taken and sent to the Public Health Laboratory in Sungai Buloh. The state Health Department medical officers are monitoring the condition of these students and they are not allowed to leave the hostel at this moment,” Mah also said last week.

To date, six of the samples have been tested positive for Influenza B, and four for Influenza A (H3).

No unusual trend of ILI, reassured Noor Hisham

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with the Perak State Health Department to closely monitor the ILI cluster, said Health Director General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah last week, adding that the Health Ministry is taking precautionary measures to ensure that the illness does not spread to other students.

The Health Ministry has also advised the public to ensure good personal hygiene and proper hand washing practices, while those with ILI symptoms have been advised to rest at home and avoid public areas to prevent the spread of disease, or to wear a face mask should they be out in public.

Noor Hisham has urged the public not to panic, reassuring that there has not been any unusual trend of ILI in the country. However, at-risk individuals such as young children, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases have been encouraged to receive the influenza vaccine as a precautionary measure. MIMS

Rotavirus outbreak in Kedah now up to 86 cases

20 Feb 2017, Vi-Jean Khoo

The contamination is believed to be a result of lack of personal hygiene amongst visitors

The Health Ministry has confirmed a total of 86 incidences of rotavirus infection associated with visits to the Ulu Lengong Hotspring in Baling, Kedah.

“However, since 11 February, there have been no new cases reported, and the final two patients have been discharged,” announced Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, adding that there were no reported incidences of extreme dehydration or deaths associated with the infection.

The ministry will continue to monitor the cases of acute gastroenteritis until 16 February before declaring that the outbreak has ceased, Hisham said.

Faecal contamination in ponds the likely cause of outbreak

Authorities ordered for the temporary closure of the Ulu Legong hotspring two weeks ago, following the emergence of new cases of rotavirus infections in visitors of the recreational park.

“The recreational centre has been closed to allow investigations by the Kedah Health Department, Baling Health Office and the National Public Health Laboratory in Sungai Buloh,” said state director Datuk Dr Norhizan Ismail at the time.

Last week, Dr Zaki Zainudin, a water quality and modelling specialist, posited that the rotavirus outbreak could have been linked with faecal contamination.

“It maybe that there was faecal contamination because someone did something nasty there or there was a sewage overflow within the vicinity, or a nearby toilet. I am speculating but these are the potential possibilities,” Zaki said, explaining that certain strains of microbes can survive longer in environments outside the body, especially in uncontrolled environments, such as the hot springs.

“But in a controlled environment like a swimming pool, where it is chlorinated, the chlorine essentially kills all the bacteria and viruses and it is very hard for something like this to happen,” he also said, adding that it was time to review the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009.

“Sewage treatment plants (STPs) have to treat sewage before discharging it but as the assumption is that bacteria and viruses die when they enter into the environment, hence it is not regulated. The implication of this is that some STPs may or may not disinfect the effluent prior to being discharged,” he said.

Investigations revealed no leakage of wastewater

According to Noor Hisham, investigations at the recreational park revealed no leakage of its wastewater management system, adding that the level of cleanliness was satisfactory.

“It is believed that the contamination may have happened on 29 and 30 January, based on the centre’s cleaning schedule,” he explained.

“We believe the contamination was due to lack of awareness of personal hygiene among (visitors),” he also said, adding that the ponds were cleaned on 31 January and operations at the hot spring resumed on 6 February.

Following the outbreak, the Baling District Council has taken steps to periodically clean the ponds as per schedule, approximately once every two days, and taking measures to ensure that no interruption or obstruction of hot water into the ponds.

Noor Hisham has also advised the public to adhere to rules at the hot spring to maintain sanitary levels. Individuals with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and young children wearing disposable diapers should not enter the pool. MIMS

Source :

https://today.mims.com