KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry confirmed an outbreak of 15 cases of malaria among the Semai orang asli tribe in Pos Lenjang, Kuala Lipis, Pahang.
“Malaria cases were reported from two villages after microscopic tests were carried out on 393 orang asli from July 11 till July 15 this year,“ said director-general of Health, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said 11 malaria cases were reported in Serdang villages and the rest in Pagar village.
“All victims were hospitalised for treatment and in stable condition”, Hisham said.
“It has been reported by the District Health Office Kuala Lipis that some of the victims, among four to 10-year-olds are hospitalised and getting treatments at the Hospital Kuala Lipis,“ Hisham said.
He added that the cause of the infection has yet to be found and still under investigation because there has not been any reported case of malaria for the last eight years and the last reported cases was in 2011.
The state health department activated the Bilik Gerakan Wabak on July 12 to eradicate the disease.
“PKD Kuala Lipis will be responsible for monitoring and analysing dengue prevention, active case detection and control activities in the state.”
Hisham said PKD has initiated the indoor residual spraying and distributing mosquito nets to the villagers there.
“The state health department has urged villagers to reduce night activities in nearby jungle areas and also made villagers aware on the need to wear full clothing and to use anti mosquito repellent.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed the recent outbreak of malaria among orang asli villagers in Kuala Lipis, Pahang during the press conference after the launching ceremony of the 33rd Scientific Meeting for Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.
Also present was Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean of the Universiti Malaya faculty of medicine and an infectious disease specialist said the Plasmodium vivax malaria with which orang asli had been diagnosed with is less life-threatening than others.
