New strain of Cholera, Terengganu, Malaysia

[kiwibird]

98 Suspected Of Having Cholera, 11 Being Treated At HSNZ


KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Cholera outbreak in Terengganu is reported to have become more serious with 11 patients, who showed symptoms of the disease, being tested positive on Friday.

State health director Dr Nordiyanah Hassan said the patients were being treated at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.

So far, she said a total of 98 people were suspected of having infected after showing symptoms like vomiting and acute diarrhea.

"Hence, several hospitals in the state have been instructed to open an isolation ward as a preparation to tackle the spread of the disease," she told Bernama here.

She also anticipated the number of confirmed cholera patients in the state to increase over the next two weeks following the heavy downpours which were expected in most of the East Coast states.

"Even though the number of patients will increase, the situation in the isolation wards is under control and we are ready and have sufficient equipment to treat the rising number of patients," she said.

Dr Nordiyanah also urged the public with symptoms of the disease to get immediate treatment at the nearest hospital and take precautionary measures to prevent infection.

"Among the precautionary measures are to avoid consuming contaminated food or those which were not well prepared, avoid drinking unboiled water and stay away from dirty food stalls," she said.

So far, only one death due to the disease was reported in HSNZ, involving a 36-year-old man from Kuala Terengganu.

-- BERNAMA

http://bernama.com/bernama/v5/news_lite.php?id=455073

[kiwibird]

Re: Suspected Cholera, Terengganu, Malaysia

November 14, 2009 19:09 PM

Don't Wade In Floodwaters Advice To Terengganu Folk

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- The health authorities have advised the people in Terengganu to refrain from wading in floodwaters as a precaution against contracting cholera, which has been confirmed positive in 11 people since the outbreak a week ago.

State Director of Health Dr Nordiyanah Hassan said on Saturday more of the 97 people at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here were expected to be discharged from tomorrow following tests.

One person was discharged today after testing negative for the disease, she told reporters.

The 98 people had been admitted to the hospital after they showed symptoms of the disease such as vomiting and diarrhoea, she said, adding that investigation was ongoing to determine the source of the disease.

One person died of the disease on Tuesday.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=455232

[kiwibird]

Re: New strain of Cholera, Terengganu, Malaysia

Friday November 20, 2009
New strain of cholera found
By DHARMENDER SINGH

New strain of cholera found in Terengganu

PUTRAJAYA: Those in Terengannu suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting should seek immediate medical attention, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

This, he added, was because of the outbreak in the state of a new strain of cholera that has already caused one death.

He said severe dehydration from vomiting or diarrhoea would affect vital organs, especially the kidneys and if help was not sought quickly enough, the patient could die from organ failure.

?The current outbreak in Terengganu is caused by a new strain that is resistant to the antibiotics usually used to treat cholera.

?Although we can still treat it, we want those suffering from such symptoms to go to the nearest medical facility quickly to ensure early diagnosis,? Liow told a press conference after attending the National Food Safety and Dietary Council meeting and launching the Infants and Children?s feeding guidelines here yesterday.

Liow said there have been 174 confirmed cholera cases in the state since the outbreak on Nov 11 and it was suspected to have been due to food, especially ice-cubes, that was not hygienically prepared.

He said all those confirmed suffering from cholera were warded in hospitals and only allowed to return home if there was no trace of the bacteria in their faeces for three consecutive days. Hospitals in the state have so far discharged 33 of the patients.

?We have already dispatched a surveillance team to start conducting checks to identify the source of the problem and expect it to complete the task soon.

?We want to advise the people to observe good hygiene in food preparation, eat cooked food and avoid eating in shops where the cleanliness is questionable,? he said.

Liow also said the outbreak in Terengganu was not caused by the recent floods and did not involve any of those placed in various flood relief centres.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/20/nation/5148064&sec=nation

[kiwibird]

Re: New strain of Cholera, Terengganu, Malaysia

Source Of Cholera Outbreak Identified

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- The use of contaminated fish to make crackers, a favourite snack in the state, has been identified as among the sources of cholera outbreak Terengganu, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said that fish samples taken from two cracker factories tested positive for the vibrio cholerae bacteria.

The fish could have been brought in from a neighbouring country through the Chendering fisheries complex which supplied fish to Kuala Terengganu and Marang, he said.

"Samples from raw chickens taken at the Gong Pauh wholesale market in Wakaf Mempelam as well as samples from two ice factories also tested positive for the bacteria," he told reporters after visiting patients at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here.

He said that 20 premises comprising 11 ice factories, two cracker factories and the rest eatery outlets, had been ordered closed.

Liow also described the cholera outbreak in the state, which was detected two weeks ago, as serious.

He said that hospitals had been receiving news cases on a daily basis, including 85 people with acute gastroenteritis which were admitted today.

He said that so far 621 patients were admitted due to acute gastroenteritis.

Up to 7am yesterday, 482 patients were still being treated in hospitals, including 22 carriers and 138 tested positive for the disease.

He urged the people not to take cholera for granted as it could result in death and other complications.

Meanwhile, a cholera outbreak is also reported in SEMPORNA, Sabah, but the situation is under control and not alarming, said Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.

He said that the authorities had taken precautionary measures including closing down the Semporna fish market which was believed to be the place where the outbreak started.

"I was told that so far 18 people are down with cholera in Semporna and they are now recovering in hospitals," he told reporters after visiting the fish market on Saturday.

He urged the public to observe hygiene and cooperate with the authorities to prevent the spread of the disease.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=457001