Virulent malaria hits three

PENANG: Three men warded at the Penang Hospital are found to have the more virulent strain of malaria known as Black Water Fever.
Two of them – a Myanmar and a local – are in the intensive care unit, while an Indonesian plantation worker from Paya Terubong is in stable condition in the open ward.
State Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said there was no cause for alarm as steps had been taken to contain the disease, believed to have been brought into the country.
“Employers should immediately send their foreign workers to hospital for screening if they are down with fever. Malaria can be treated if detected early.
“Black Water Fever or cerebral malaria is caused by plasmodium falciparum which attacks the brain and ultimately causes death,” he said.
Student Oon Chea Min, 11, who was admitted with malaria to the hospital on July 9 died last Thursday. Her grandfather Oon Hoay Lai is the local man under intensive care.
source