Published: Monday February 13, 2012 MYT 9:02:00 PM

22 students, lecturers test positive for Chikungunya in Kuang

PUTRAJAYA: An outbreak of Chikungunya fever was reported in Kuang, Selangor as 22 students and lecturers from a private college there have tested positive for the disease.

Director-General of Health Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said they were among 53 students and lecturers whose blood samples were tested after showing symptoms of fever, cough, head and body aches, as well as joint pains upon returning from a course at a resort in Teluk Nipah, Pulau Pangkor, from Jan 17 to 19.

He said they were taken to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre for treatment between Feb 6 and 9.

"Twenty-two of them were tested positive for Chikungunya fever, two were tested negative, while 29 others awaiting results," he said in a statement here Monday.

He said nine of those who were tested positive were also warded for further examination, but were reported to be in stable condition.

"One of the lecturers, however, was tested positive for Chikungunya and Leptospirosis," he said.

Dr Hasan said up to Sunday, 23 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported nationwide with the first case being reported in Johor last Saturday.

"The monitoring activities conducted by the Health Ministry found that both the resort, where the students and lecturers had stayed during their course in Pulau Pangkor, and the students' hostel in Kuang, have a high level of Aedes breeding," he said.

Chikungunya is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, the same mosquito that spreads dengue fever.

A total of 30 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported last year, as compared to 804 cases in 2010, a decline of merely 96 percent or 776 cases. - Bernama

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