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Malaysia: 2020 Japanese Encephalitis - outbreak in Penang

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  • Malaysia: 2020 Japanese Encephalitis - outbreak in Penang

    Source: https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2...i-pulau-pinang

    Three more cases of JE in Penang
    myMetromat updates

    THREE other cases of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) were reported in Penang following laboratory tests conducted today, leaving a total of six cases to date.

    State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin said the three new cases involved two in Sungai Bakap, Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) district and another in Balik Pulau, southwest district.

    "I was informed by the Penang State Department of Health (JKN) that the three laboratory tests were positive and that the JE-infected victims were children, but all of them were reported to be stable," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

    He, however, declined to reveal the age and sex of the JE-infected children but said they did not show any serious symptoms.

    He said they did not rule out the possibility that all of them infected with JE from pig farms were in their area because culex mosquitoes breed in livestock sewage and dirty clogged drains.

    Norlela said that until yesterday, the Penang Department of Veterinary Services (JPV) had sampled 90 pigs in livestock farms in the SPS and Southwest and five forests in SPS, Seberang Perai North and Seberang Perai Central, but laboratory tests found everything negative in JE.

    "According to JPV Penang the test on pigs is generally negative JE, as space for JE to appear is limited, so it is still possible that it came from pig raised in the field, in addition most JE cases show any symptoms," he said.

    He said that since the disease was spread through culex mosquito bites, mosquito repellent, larvasiding and mist spraying activities would be carried out in the local area to break the infection chain by killing the larvae and adult mosquitoes.

    He also advised the owner of the pig farm to keep it clean and waterproof, as well as the movement of drainage ditches to prevent mosquito-borne culex mosquitoes.

    "People are also advised to seek immediate treatment at a health clinic or hospital when they have JE fever and symptoms such as headaches, seizures or neurological changes," he said.

    On June 27, two JE cases reported at SPS involved two children aged two and eight, with one still receiving treatment at the Penang Hospital (HPP), and they are in stable condition.

    This article was published on: Wednesday, July 8, 2020 @ 11:47 PM
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