PETALING JAYA: The rotavirus has been confirmed to be the cause of the acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreak and two related deaths in Perak over the last three weeks, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

However, he said the source or sources of the waterborne virus had yet to be identified.

“We (authorities) suspect the source or sources are in the water treatment plants or the distribution channels along the way. Tests are still under way,” he told The Star last night.

The 3,000 over patients, mostly young children, are from Batang Padang and Hilir Perak.

Perak Health Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said tests for the rotavirus were negative so far.

“Tests for rotavirus on water samples taken from eight locations in Batang Padang over three days from Feb 11, 12 and 13 are negative.

“The results on water samples taken from Hilir Perak on Feb 14 are not out yet,” Dr Mah told The Star.

There have been 1,990 cases of AGE in Hilir Perak and 1,078 cases in Batang Padang since the outbreak three weeks ago.

To a question, Dr Mah said the negative test results could be due to the very low concentration of the virus in the water samples taken.

“Viruses are elusive and self-limiting in nature, and will dwindle over two to three weeks,” he said of the outbreak which started at the end of last month.

On the increase in the reported cases of AGE in the two districts, Dr Mah said this could be due to rising awareness among the people to seek medical treatment for symptoms like diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.

“AGE can be caused by different types of viruses or bacteria,” he said, adding that tests on the stools of 18 of 39 patients were positive for the rotavirus.

Dr Mah stressed that good personal hygiene was very important to prevent AGE.

He urged parents to be vigilant and seek medical treatment for their unwell children.

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