Terengganu wants more effective measures to fight cholera

KUALA TERENGGANU: The state government has asked local councils and the health department to take immediate measures to contain the spread of cholera.

State Health, Unity and Consumerism Committee deputy chairman Datuk Din Adam said a single preventive measure like creating awareness was inadequate and more effective control mechanisms should be initiated.

Among the additional measures he suggested were sterilisation and proper disposal at eateries, anti-bacterial treatment of sewage, including using the ultra-violet light method, and warnings posted around contaminated areas.

“Health education and adherence to appropriate sanitation practices are important in this period to help prevent and control the transmission of cholera,” he added.

A 30-year-old man died of cholera two days ago, forcing the state health authorities to declare an outbreak.

So far, 94 people have been admitted to hospitals with symptoms of acute diarrhoea.

Eleven patients admitted at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here since Tuesday were confirmed to have the disease.

Din said he was told that the state health department had ordered hospitals to isolate the patients showing symptoms like vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea.

“We must remind the public that cholera is an extremely virulent disease that affects both children and adults,” he added.

He said the situation could be further exacerbated by the second wave of floods expected in the state.

Influenza A(H1N1): School in Terengganu ordered closed

KUALA LUMPUR: Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman 1, Kuala Terengganu, has been ordered closed while all the students in the Form Four Jaya class at Sekolah Menengah Aminuddin Baki, Kuala Lumpur, are in home quarantine due to influenza A (H1N1) infections.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the directive on the two schools would be in effect until Wednesday.

"The closure of Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman 1, Kuala Terengganu, involved a total of 1,456 students, teachers and staff," he said in a media statement yesterday.

Two students at the school had been found to be infected with the virus.

As at 8am yesterday, 39 new cases of H1N1 were reported, consisting of 22 imported cases and 17 local infections.

This raised the accumulated number of H1N1 cases in the country to 710, comprising 507 imported cases and 203 local infections.

Dr Ismail said that out of the 710 patients, 637 or 90 per cent had recovered and had been discharged from the various hospitals.

"The remaining 73 patients are still being treated at various hospitals."

In Malacca, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said four Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) students in Lendu, Alor Gajah, had tested positive for influenza A.

He said one of them was being treated at the Malacca Hospital while the other three were in quarantine at the campus hostel.

"The situation at the Lendu UiTM is under control," he said after attending the opening of the Malacca MCA convention by MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat at Wisma MCA yesterday.

Liow said a health team had been stationed at the campus to assess the situation. -- Bernama

H1N1: One School Closed, One Classed Under Home Quarantine

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -- Sekolah Rendah Sultan Sulaiman 1, Kuala Terengganu has been ordered closed while all the students in the Form Four Jaya class, Sekolah Menengah Aminuddin Baki Kuala Lumpur are under home-quarantine following the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.

Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the directive on the two schools concerned would be effective until July 15.

"The closure of Sekolah Sultan Sulaiman 1, Kuala Terengganu involved a total of 1,456 students, teachers and staff," he said in a media statement Sunday.

He said that as at 8 am today, 39 new cases of H1N1 were reported consisting of 22 imported cases and 17 local infections.

This raised the accumulated total of H1N1 cases in the country to 710 comprising 507 imported cases and 203 local infections, he said.

Dr Mohd Ismail said that out of the total of 710 confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) patients, 637 or 90 per cent had recovered and were discharged from the various hospitals.

"There are 73 patients who are still being treated at the various hospitals," he said.

Referring to the global situation, Dr Mohd Ismail said the World Health Organisation (WHO) disclosed that as at 8 am today, the accumulated total of Influenza A(H1N1) cases reported to the organisation was 106,565 with 470 deaths from 143 countries, an increase of 1,299 cases.

The countries reporting the highest number of increases were Australia (1,239), Malaysia (44) and Brunei (16).

-- BERNAMA

Hospital Terengganu kurangkan waktu melawat elak H1N1

KUALA TERENGGANU 18 Jun - Terengganu mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga bagi membendung penyebaran virus selesema influenza A (H1N1) dengan mengurangkan waktu melawat di semua hospital kerajaan di negeri ini bermula esok.

Pengarah Jabatan Kesihatan negeri, Dr. Nordiyanah Hassan berkata, tindakan mengurangkan waktu melawat selama sejam itu adalah sejajar dengan arahan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan.

Justeru, katanya, waktu melawat pada pukul 12 tengah hari hingga 2 petang akan dipendekkan kepada 1 petang hingga 2 petang.

Beliau berkata, waktu melawat antara pukul 4 hingga 7 malam juga akan dipendekkan kepada pukul 5 hingga 7 malam.

''Langkah ini diambil bagi mengurangkan penyebaran virus selesema H1N1 terutama di hospital yang merupakan tempat para pesakit mendapatkan rawatan. Langkah ini mula berkuatkuasa esok sehingga ke tarikh yang akan dimaklumkan kelak," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Kementerian Kesihatan semalam mengumumkan kes penularan tempatan pertama virus itu di negara ini. Utusan

Pantai Timur HIV/Aids tertinggi

Oleh TENGKU FAUZIAH NGAH
utusanterengganu@utusan.com.my

KUALA TERENGGANU 14 Jun - Negeri-negeri di Pantai Timur mencatatkan kes HIV/Aids tertinggi di negara ini dalam tempoh Januari hingga Jun tahun lepas.

Kelantan, Pahang dan Terengganu menduduki senarai lima negeri teratas dalam kes jangkitan penyakit itu dalam tempoh berkenaan.

Kes HIV/Aids paling tinggi dicatatkan ialah di Kelantan iaitu 346 kes diikuti Johor (269), Selangor (223), Pahang (166) dan Terengganu (140).

Ini diikuti Kedah (117), Wilayah Persekutuan (70), Perak (71), Sarawak (84), Sabah (55), Melaka (37) dan Perlis (27).

Angka ini didedahkan oleh Pengerusi Yayasan Sultanah Bahiyah, Tunku Panglima Besar, Datuk Seri Tunku Intan Shafinaz Sultan Abdul Halim dalam kertas kerja bertajuk Kesedaran HIV/AIDS.

Kertas kerja itu dibentangkan pada Persidangan Pesuruhjaya Tahunan Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia di sebuah hotel di Kuala Terengganu baru-baru ini.

Menurutnya, beberapa perkara dikesan sebagai faktor utama jangkitan HIV/Aids antaranya penempatan berhampiran sempadan dan kewujudan banyak industri perkilangan

Kertas kerja itu menyebut, mereka yang dikenal pasti dijangkiti HIV/Aids ialah yang bekerja sebagai nelayan dan terlibat dalam industri perkilangan serta mereka yang bekerja dalam sektor swasta.

Beliau berkata, mereka yang dijangkit HIV/Aids tidak mempunyai suara dalam masyarakat dan menjadi mangsa stigma serta diskriminasi sehingga memberi kesan kepada ahli keluarga yang lain.

''Golongan berkenaan memerlukan sokongan untuk mereka meneruskan kehidupan agar tidak lagi terlibat dengan kegiatan yang tidak bermoral," ujarnya.

Beliau memberitahu, terdapat beberapa cara untuk mengurangkan risiko dan tekanan terhadap penghidap HIV/Aids termasuk kaunseling, rawatan serta pemulihan untuk memastikan mereka dapat hidup dalam bermasyarakat seperti insan yang lain.