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Re: Malaysia: Leptospirosis and Melioidosis outbreaks - June 26, 2010+
And we have a new leptospirosis outbreak. Up to the mods how to handle this, but I suggest renaming this thread and officially putting all outbreaks of those two diseases in Malaysia into this thread, as that seems to be what we are doing here anyway.
Bakun Worker In Hospital For Suspected Leptospirosis
KUCHING, July 30 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Friday confirmed that a 46-year-old man had been admitted to Bintulu Hospital for suspected leptospirosis but said there was no outbreak of the disease in the Bakun area.
Dr Chan, who is also Sarawak Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said the patient, who was believed to be a Chinese national working at the Bakun hydro-electric dam project site, was in serious condition.
"As far as I know, there is no outbreak and I have checked the medical report from the Health Department to ensure there is no panic in the Bakun area because even though leptospirosis is not on the list of notifiable diseases, the administrative notification was implemented in Sarawak in 2003," he told a news conference at his office in Petra Jaya, here.
He described as not true a recent report by a news portal that nine workers had died from the disease which had infected about 50 workers in the past year after they were purportedly exposed to the bacteria (leptospirae) during ground drilling.
He said there were three positive cases, including two deaths, in Lubuk Antu and Bintulu out of the 36 admitted to hospital for suspected leptospirosis so far this year. Five of the cases showed up negative and the rest were awaiting results of tests, he added.
Fourteen of the suspected cases were from Bintulu while the rest were from Sibu (eight), Miri (four), Kuching and Kapit (three each), Saratok and Sarikei (two each), and Sri Aman and Lubok Antu (one each).
Last year, 157 people were admitted to government hospitals throughout Sarawak for leptospirosis but no fatalities were reported, he said.
In a lot of cases, he said, the water-borne disease, which could be found in cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, rodents and wild animals, infected bare-footed farmers who contracted it from the soil contaminated by the urine of the infected animals.
He said the cases in Sarawak suffered from the same disease which earlier this month killed six people who had taken part in a search-and-rescue operation for a drowned victim in Lubuk Yu, Pahang.
-- BERNAMA
We provide (subscription-based)
news coverage in our Newswire service.
This older article suggests that some of the cases of leptospirosis may have been from contaminated food. If this were the case, anyone presenting with leptospirosis could have just eaten somewhere on the mainland.
Thursday July 15, 2010
Closure of dirty shops leaves bad aftertaste Phee: Caller asked me to buy up outlet?s food prepared for three days
By DERRICK VINESH
A FORMER Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) councillor has apparently ticked off state Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh for being inconsiderate in the recent closure of six food outlets deemed dirty by the local authorities.
Revealing this, Phee said he received a call from the individual after news broke out about the closure.
?The former councillor claimed that one of the outlets had prepared food for three days and asked if I was willing to buy all of it from the operator. I told him that the state Health Department can allow the outlet to reopen if the owner or operator cleans up his premises in three days,? Phee said after accompanying 64 enforcement officers from the state Public Health authorities on an operation to check 28 restaurants on the mainland.
The eight-hour joint operation between the council and health authorities was codenamed ?Ops Tutup II?.
Phee said the state had given all food outlets in Penang a grace period of one year through three approaches of awareness, education and warnings before they proceeded to enforce the law.
Phee said six villagers in Pahang died recently after they were infected by two different strains of bacteria ? leptospirosis and melioidosis.
Penang Health Department enforcement officer (right) placing a notice of closure at a nasi kandar restaurant in Butterworth, Penang yesterday. Looking on are Penang exco Phee Boon Poh (second left) with MPSP councillor Oon Neow Aun (left).
Leptospirosis is present in rat urine while melioidosis is a water and earth-borne bacteria.
?These are social and health issues, not political. It is time that we protected the interest of the consumers,? he said.
MPSP councillor Soon Lip Chee said the six outlets comprised those serving economy rice, nasi kandar, tomyam and nasi melayu.
Apart from not observing basic hygienic practices, he said, the restaurants which were temporarily closed, had rat urine, rat droppings, cockroaches and flies in their premises.
Soon said 30 compounds worth RM5,460 were issued to the errant restaurant operators during the operation.
"The only security we have is our ability to adapt."
The information we have about the dam project refers mainly to melioidosis.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, who is State Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said he had not received any information of nine workers in Bakun dying from melioidosis and leptospirosis (caused by rat urine bacteria) infection or that 50 other workers had contracted the disease while working at the site.
?Someone had asked me about this. Personally, I have not received any information from the health authorities about such deaths or of a disease outbreak in Bakun,? he told The Star yesterday.
?A few years ago, there were one or two cases of melioidosis but recently, no such cases were reported. There is no cover-up.? Dr Chan said there had been no major disease outbreak in Bakun or any major fatalities caused by the rat-borne disease.
As we have only speculation about the alleged cover-up this is probably best discussed in the deliberation room.
It might be sensible to split this thread. The leptospirosis and melioidosis outbreaks have been lumped together in press statements but the sources of the outbreaks might indeed be completely different. It should become apparent in the next week or so. I will talk to Sally. Thanks everyone.
"The only security we have is our ability to adapt."
This older article suggests that some of the cases of leptospirosis may have been from contaminated food. If this were the case, anyone presenting with leptospirosis could have just eaten somewhere on the mainland.
.
Both leptospirosis and meliodosis are endemic in Malaysia - there is nothing surprising that both illnesses are being reported, especially after the incident at Lubuk Yu. Rats and soil are both found all over Malaysia, and in fact in much of Southeast Asia in general. And while the article you cite from the other thread mentions melioidosis at the dam, the one in post #47 mentions only leptospirosis.
I agree that the structure of this thread presents a real challenge, and that splitting this thread would be very difficult.
As far as speculation, I'm a bit confused. I know we don't (or at least shouldn't ) post our own speculation in a news thread, but I was under the impression that an article that indicates the speculation of someone directly involved in an outbreak or that of a relevant authority was allowed.
The post in #47 is from Bernama - the official news site. It was addressing speculation elsewhere and may have been reticent to add the concerns about melioidosis. Deliberation room is probably best for unconfirmed speculation and discussion about it. I like to have confirmation from at least one other source before I post as news, just my opinion - not a policy that I know of. Thanks Alert - I will start a new thread specifically for leptospirosis in Malaysia.
Last edited by kiwibird; July 30, 2010, 07:29 PM.
Reason: opinion
"The only security we have is our ability to adapt."
Suspected cases of life-threatening disease events remain Falls 22
(31 Kuantan AP) land kills suspected cases of cloth to keep the right falls ill in 22 cases, there are still three people in hospital.
Pahang Local Government, Environment and Hygiene Committee chairman Datuk He Qiwen said that as of 9:00 this morning, there is no appearance of new cases, 3 were still in hospital, (1 additional card in the hospital, 1 in the Temerloh Hospital and 1 in Selayang Hospital, 29 this month from the intensive care unit patients transferred to general ward today due to aspiration pneumonia "Aspiration pneumonia" and once again returned to the intensive care unit).
。 He said today by sending an SMS, so that when the statement issued.
He said the other two were in stable condition.
"The number of patients in the observation is 15, returned home from the hospital."
He said, of which 21 cases were laboratory tests showed that six had been confirmed infected with melioidosis (Melioidosis), the other four confirmed cases of melioidosis and leptospirosis (Leptospirosis), 10 宗 negative and the other a laboratory The results are not baked. ? "
Suspected cases of life-threatening disease events remain Falls 22
(31 Kuantan AP) land kills suspected cases of cloth to keep the right falls ill in 22 cases, there are still three people in hospital.
Pahang Local Government, Environment and Hygiene Committee chairman Datuk He Qiwen said that as of 9:00 this morning, there is no appearance of new cases, 3 were still in hospital, (1 additional card in the hospital, 1 in the Temerloh Hospital and 1 in Selayang Hospital, 29 this month from the intensive care unit patients transferred to general ward today due to aspiration pneumonia "Aspiration pneumonia" and once again returned to the intensive care unit).
。 He said today by sending an SMS, so that when the statement issued.
He said the other two were in stable condition.
"The number of patients in the observation is 15, returned home from the hospital."
He said, of which 21 cases were laboratory tests showed that six had been confirmed infected with melioidosis (Melioidosis), the other four confirmed cases of melioidosis and leptospirosis (Leptospirosis), 10 宗 negative and the other a laboratory The results are not baked. ? " http://translate.google.com.my/trans...ountryMY,qdr:d
Those numbers don't quite add up. 22 cases, 7 deaths. So there are 15 still alive. If three are still in hospital, then only 12 have been discharged, not 15. Perhaps the 15 under observation "returned home" includes the three in hospital.
Sunday August 1, 2010
DCM: Bakun dam not to blame for rat-borne diseases
By STEPHEN THEN
MIRI: There is no conclusive evidence to link the clearing of more than 64,000 hectares of forests and land at the Bakun hydro-electric dam project site to the rat-borne diseases in Belaga town, the nearest urban centre to the dam, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam.
Dr Chan, who is State Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said though Belaga had been identified as a source of the recent melioidosis and leptospirosis cases, it could not be ascertained that the construction of the Bakun project triggered the diseases.
?It is endemic. Every now and then, we have two or three cases cropping up. It can pass from animal to animal but not from person to person.
?The source is water-borne and the bacteria is from rat urine,?? he told reporters here yesterday after launching an anti-dengue campaign.
Aedes buster: Chan (second from right) all geared up and ready to ?zap? a giant ?mosquito? during the launch of an anti-dengue campaign in Miri yesterday.
Dr Chan said the diseases were caused by bacteria and not virus.
?Bacteria can be tackled by antibodies,?? he said, adding that he was confident the infections were under control and not spreading.
A number of people in Belaga, including a district councillor, had been hospitalised in Bintulu due to the diseases in Belaga.
Dr Chan, however, stressed the infections were not at an outbreak stage.
Earlier, while launching the anti-dengue campaign, he said the state wanted a continuity of the gotong-royong projects to destroy mosquito-breeding grounds.
?It is a wrong perception that aedes mosquitoes are found only in dirty areas. Even in clean water, it can breed very fast. One female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs every seven days.
?We need to tackle the problem fast before the rainy season starts,?? he said
Although the previous post refers to "a number of people" in Belaga (near Bakun Dam) being admitted to hospital, this report refers to only one and confirms the patient is suspected to be ill with melioidosis"
Labourer warded for suspected meliodosis
August 2, 2010, Monday
SIBU: A labourer from Belaga was wheeled into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sibu Hospital for suspected meliodosis disease yesterday.
The 24-year-old from Belaga had earlier complained to his family about stomachache, headache and difficulty in breathing.
He was taken to the hospital in Kapit on Friday and admitted.
However, as his conditions did not improve, the hospital transferred him to Sibu.
The youth was admitted to Sibu Hospital at 3pm yesterday.
SIBU: A labourer from Belaga was wheeled into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sibu Hospital for suspected meliodosis disease yesterday.
The 24-year-old from Belaga had earlier complained to his family about stomachache, headache and difficulty in breathing.
He was taken to the hospital in Kapit o
This report refers to leptospirosis but I am including it here because the town where the "outbreak" has occured is the same as the case above and that report quotes information from the hospital rather than politicians.
Partners: Berita Harian
Construction of dams is not the cause of leptospirosis
2010/08/02 08/02/2010
Miri: leptospirosis outbreak that infected people in Belaga recently did not have something to do with the construction of the Bakun dam project and the hydro electric dam project in northern Sarawak Murun.
He said the disease is spread through rat urine, and electrical construction of the Bakun hydro project and Murun no directly related to the disease. "Even though they are infected with HIV is detected on the two project workers involved in the dam, but it does not mean the construction of the project resulted in the spread of leptospirosis epidemic," he told reporters yesterday when commenting on the spread of the outbreak, which resulted in the death of the population reported in the area due to bacterial infection leptopirosis.
Recent, another 46 year-old man was treated at the hospital coma and Bintulu, is believed to have the same infection.
Dr Chan is also Chairman of the Sarawak Natural Disaster said, it is not fair to spread the claim construction of the hydroelectric project that resulted in the outbreak source.
However, he said, a team of officers from the Sarawak Health Department was ordered to investigate the transmission case in Belaga, with people in Belaga area are advised not to panic. In this regard, he said, people are asked to ensure their homes clean at all times and one suffering from fever should seek immediate medical attention.
MELIOIDOSIS, LEPTOSPIROSIS OUTBREAK DECLARED OVER
Bernama - Wednesday, August 4SendIM StoryPrint.KUANTAN, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- The melioidosis and leptospirosis outbreak detected at the Lubuk Yu recreational forest in Maran has been declared over as there has been no report of any new case of infection.
State Local Government, Environment and Health Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said until July 28, there had been no new cases reported among those exposed to the diseases.
"Therefore, the disease oubreak is declared over as the longest incubation period for possible infection is 28 days after being exposed to the bacteria," he told reporters, here, today.
However, he said, the picnic area at the Lubuk Yu waterfall was still closed to the public to facilitate further investigation, evaluation and monitoring after cleansing of the area was carried out on July 22.
Hoh said the investigation and assessment of the risk level were being done by a small technical committee.
"The report until this morning stated that there were 22 suspected cases, of whom seven had died, while one case is still being treated at Sultan Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh and another at Hospital Selayang, Selangor."
He said of the 22 cases, six were confirmed to be melioidosis, four cases of both melioidosis and leptospirosis infection, 11 cases found negative, and one case from whom samples were not taken and the person died at home.
On July 10, the Lubuk Yu picnic area was ordered to be closed to the public immediately after six people died while 83 people had leptospirosis bacterial infection.
All those infected were believed to have been involved in the search-and-rescue operation between June 26 and 30 for a man who had drowned at the waterfall area.
Saturday August 7, 2010
Another rescue op volunteer dies of infection
By ROSLINA MOHAMAD and ANN TAN newsdesk@thestar.com.my
KUANTAN: A volunteer in the search and rescue operation at Lubuk Yu in Maran in June has become the eighth person to die of complications related to the bacterial infection.
Mohd Faizal Hassan, 40, of Batu Caves, Selangor, died at 4.35pm at Selayang Hospital on Thursday.
He was infected with melioidosis, a water and earth-borne bacteria, and had been warded since July 1.
According to state Local Government, Environment and Health Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun, the cause of death was due to massive cerebral haemorrhage with underlying melioidosis sepsis.
....
Hoh said similar cases had been reported in Penang where two men have been discharged while one died after being infected with leptospirosis after swimming in Lata Bayu, Baling, Kedah. The place is temporarily closed.
In ALOR SETAR, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said three of the six people admitted to hospitals have been confirmed positive with leptospirosis.
?There are three cases in Yan Hospital with one confirmed positive, two in Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani with one positive case, and another one at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar.
?These are isolated cases and we do not know the source of the disease,? he told reporters at the state MCA?s 33rd annual convention.
He said picnic spots in Kedah that were closed temporarily would only reopen after they were declared free of the disease, referring to those in Puncak Janing (Kuala Nerang), Lata Bayu and Bukit Wang (Kubang Pasu).
"The only security we have is our ability to adapt."
Published: Saturday August 7, 2010 MYT 5:05:00 PM
Updated: Saturday August 7, 2010 MYT 5:57:20 PM
Report leptospirosis, melioidosis cases, says Liow
By NG SI HOOI
KUALA LUMPUR: Hospitals and clinics have been ordered to immediately report any case of leptospirosis or melioidosis bacterial infection following the death of ninth person related to the bacteria Thursday.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said immediate reporting of such cases to would enable the ministry to take swift action to control the spread of the bacteria .
?However, there is no need for the public to panic as the situation is under control. It can be wiped out if the public maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of their surrounding.
?The disease can be cured and we have the antibiotics for it,? he said after opening the International Conference on Chinese Kapitan Yap Ah Loy here yesterday.
Leptospirosis is present in rat urine while melioidosis is a water- and earth-borne bacteria.
On Thursday, a volunteer in the search and rescue operation for a drowning victim at Lubuk Yu in Maran, Pahang in June became the eighth victim to die of complications related to the bacterial infection.
Another victim died after being infected with leptospirosis after swimming in Lata Bayu, Baling, Kedah.
MIRI: Chairman of the State Natural Disaster and Relief Management Committee, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan admitted that there was some confusion among the people regarding two water-borne diseases — melioidosis and leptospirosis.
This has resulted in wrong facts being given to the Health Department and the media.
....
“I am not sure. I don’t have the latest report yet. At this point, I can’t tell whether there is any misdiagnosis and wrong administration of antibiotics on patients of either disease. I also hope that the media don’t confuse the people,” he said.
Dr Chan who is also a deputy chief minister was asked yesterday to comment on Malaysiakini report which claimed that misdiagnosis and confusion, wrong administration of antibiotics on melioidosis to leptospirosis had resulted in 71 patients admitted to state hospitals. These included those from the Bakun Hydro Electricity Project in Belaga.
.... Malaysiakini also reported that the state Health Department had confirmed that three people from Bakun had been admitted to hospital for melioidosis.
According to a letter sent through Chan’s office, as July 24, 71 patients suspected of the disease, were admitted to state hospitals this year.
..
Malaysiakini also reported that among other things, Chan had refuted Malaysiakini’s report quoting a human resources manager at the Bakun hydroelectric dam, who claimed that he knows of nine workers who had allegedly died from the disease in the past year.
This resulted in him providing confusing report to Bernama, a national news agency.
..
"The only security we have is our ability to adapt."
SIBU: Barely digesting the facts about leptospirosis, hard-pressed locals have Meliodosis to add to their vocabulary.
Dr Hu Chang Hock Following the news about the passing of a labourer from Belaga suspected of Meliodosis, some concerned residents had contacted The Borneo Post to shed more light on the disease.
Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Sibu Sub-Branch advisor Dr Hu Chang Hock explained that both Meliodosis and leptospirosis shared similar symptoms.
Dr Hu, who has a master?s degree in infectious disease and tropical medicine, said, ?The symptoms manifest in a patient commonly in the form of headache, fever, cough and joint pain.
?The flu-like symptoms are similar to that of leptospirosis. So you see, it is very difficult to pinpoint exactly if a patient suffers from Meliodosis or leptospirosis.
?A blood test is the most accurate way of determining this,? stressed Dr Hu.
He clarified that although Meliodosis was a water and soil-borne disease, rats could transmit it as well.
Asked on the prevention of contracting these diseases, he advised farmers to wear boots when in contact with water or soil.
?The most important thing that I need to emphasise is to seek immediate medical attention when one does not feel well.
?Do not take anything for granted and assume that one will heal in a couple of days. Neither is it safe to assume that it is just a normal flu,? he cautioned.
....snip
Last Thursday, Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng advised parents to keep their children away from Lake Garden, Permai Road, following detection of Leptospira bacteria there.
Ngieng thus advised people to avoid swimming, taking a dip or coming into contact with the lake water including fishing there.
He also said the council was mulling over launching a Rat Control Campaign? to rid the town of the disease-bearing pests
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) post our own speculation in a news thread, but I was under the impression that an article that indicates the speculation of someone directly involved in an outbreak or that of a relevant authority was allowed.
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