Materia Medica Malaysiana

No unusual increase in chicken pox cases

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has not experienced any unusual increase in the number of chicken pox cases but the situation will be monitored closely, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Responding to reports on a chicken pox epidemic in Thailand, he said yesterday that the Disease Control Division under the Public Health Department would step up its monitoring activities whenever such outbreaks were detected in neighbouring countries.

According to a wire report from Bangkok, more than 20,000 people had been infected with chicken pox in Thailand so far.

Disease Control Division director Dr Ramlee Rahmat said those infected with chicken pox must be stay at home for at least a week to prevent the disease from spreading.

He added that the people should not share food, drinks and towels as the virus could spread through respiratory tract secretions, adding that it was an airborne disease.

Those down with chicken pox would have a slight fever and flu before rashes begin to appear on the body, he said.

Dr Ramlee added that the public should not to panic because the disease was not dangerous.