Boy with JE admitted

NST: An eight-year-old boy from here was admitted to Kota Baru Hospital today with symptoms of Japanese encephalitis (JE).
He is the latest patient after the father and youngest brother of a suspected JE victim, Siti Mardiana Mohd Ramli, 13, who died on Thursday, were admitted to the same hospital two days ago. Two others, Norhayati Awang, 27, and Hasnira Hussain, 13, were warded earlier.
Kelantan Health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Ahmad Mahir, said only Norhayati had been confirmed to have contracted JE. He declined further comment, saying that details would be given tomorrow by the Director-General of Health.
Dr Razin said the department was now concentrating on a campaign to seek and destroy the breeding ground of Culex mosquitoes, the JE virus carrier.
"So far, our officers have checked 22 places in Tanah Merah and the mosquitoes have been found at four of them," he said.
Meanwhile, Padzil Abdul Fatah from the State Wildlife Department said several officers had been sent to Kampung Air Kerala and Kampung Bukit Pauh here to check on the presence of wild boars.
"Although they have not been confirmed as the source of the JE virus, we are taking proactive action and will destroy them if they are in the area," he said.
Yesterday, family members had called on the department to act fast to get rid of the animals roaming near their homes as they were afraid more people would contract the disease.