Mosquito larvae found breeding in malaria-hit Orang Asli village

IPOH: Larvae of the Anopheles mosquito have been found breeding in a village in the Pos Kemar Orang Asli settlement in Gerik where 126 villagers have come down with the disease.
The larvae was spotted in Kampung Ralak when state and district health officers, with the assistance of soldiers, conducted larvae inspection and larviciding in that village and Kampung Badak.
This was stated by Perak Director of Health Datuk Dr Juita Ghazalie in a statement today.
She said that of the 126 malaria cases, 23 were at the Gerik Hospital, four at the Kuala Kangsar Hospital and one at the Sungai Siput Hospital.
"Eight patients are in the process of being sent to the Gerik Hospital while two are being treated in their villages, 50 at the Sri Didik Hostel in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Idris Shah II in Gerik and the rest have been discharged to return to their villages," she said.
All the patients were aged between eight months and 60 years, she said.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said in Malacca last night he was optimistic that the malaria outbreak in Perak can be brought under control soon, provided there is preventive and control support from the people.
He said malaria, unlike dengue fever, could be treated with drugs. — Bernama