Materia Medica Malaysiana

Don't Eat Dead Fish Collected From The Beach, Says Chua

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- People in areas affected by the Dec 26 tsunami have been advised not to consume dead fish which end up on the beach due to possible health risks.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Monday they should instead buy fresh fish and cook it properly before consumption.
"There is nothing to worry about if one consumes properly cooked fish," he told reporters after attending a function at the Putrajaya hospital, here.
He said that the ministry had been receiving a lot of calls from people who wanted to know whether it was safe to eat fish as there was this lingering fear that marine life had eaten the remains of humans who perished in the tragedy.
"We haven't received any report of people falling ill after consuming fish. So don't listen to rumors that it is not safe to eat fish," he added.
On another matter, he said relief workers returning from tsunami-stricken areas abroad should undergo medical observation for a few days to ensure that they had not contracted any disease.
Touching on the dengue outbreak, Chua said the people should not panic as the situation was under control.
Only Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang had shown a marked increase in the number of cases, he said, adding that 60 deaths due to dengue were reported last year.
"We'll keep the public informed on the latest situation. We won't hide anything from them," he said.