Sunday November 22, 2009
Rotten fish the cause of cholera in Sabah and Sarawak
KUALA TERENGGANU: Contaminated fish used in the making of crackers has been identified as among the sources of the cholera outbreak here, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
He said that fish samples taken from two cracker factories tested positive for the vibrio cholerae bacteria.
The fish could have been brought in from a neighbouring country through the Chendering fisheries complex which supplies fish to Kuala Terengganu and Marang, he said.
“Samples from raw chicken taken at the Gong Pauh wholesale market in Wakaf Mempelam as well as samples from two ice factories also tested positive for the bacteria,” he told reporters after visiting patients at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here yesterday.
He said that 20 premises — comprising 11 ice factories, two cracker factories and eight food outlets — had been ordered closed.
Liow also described the cholera outbreak in the state, which was detected two weeks ago, as serious.
He said hospitals had been receiving new cases on a daily basis, including 85 people with acute gastroenteritis admitted yesterday, adding that so far 621 patients were admitted due to acute gastroenteritis.
Up to 7am yesterday, 482 patients were still being treated in hospitals, including 22 carriers and 138 who tested positive for the disease.
Liow urged the people not to take cholera for granted.
Meanwhile, a cholera outbreak was also reported in Semporna, Sabah, but the situation is under control and not alarming, said Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.
He said the authorities had taken precautionary measures including closing down the Semporna fish market which was believed to be where the outbreak started.
“So far, 18 people are down with cholera in Semporna and have been hospitalised,” he told reporters after visiting the fish market.
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