Materia Medica Malaysiana

Chua: No outbreak of infectious diseases

There have been no outbreaks of infectious diseases in tsunami hit areas such as Penang and Kedah, according to Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek today.
“We have not detected any significant increase in the number of cases,” he told a press conference at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.
He attributed this to basic infrastructure having remained intact, as well as the availability of clean water and food, following the tsunami which has displaced several communities in Penang and Kedah.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned of the possibility of epidemics caused by water-borne diseases, particularly malaria and diarrhoea, as well as respiratory tract infections among survivors.
Experts said the top five issues to be addressed in relief operations are the provision of drinking water, sanitation, food, shelter and health services.
Chua also dismissed rumours spread through the short message text service (SMS) that certain seafoods are unsafe for consumption.
“(The news) spread by SMS are rumours, and (an) irresponsible (thing to do),” he said.