Woman has both dengue and JE

Star: PUTRAJAYA: There are widespread cases of dengue in Kelantan although one patient, a 28-year-old woman from Tanah Merah, has tested positive for both dengue and the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said the JE virus found in Noorhayati Awang, however, was on a declining trend.
The dengue fever, on the other hand, was on the upward trend.
He said Noorhayati must have been infected with JE at least two months ago.
Her family had told health authorities then that she was not feeling well and had been bedridden for two months before she was taken to the Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II in Tanah Merah, he told reporters here yesterday.
“At the hospital she tested positive for both JE and dengue. But the JE is on the downward trend, which means that she had it much earlier,” he said.
Noorhayati, who is mentally retarded, was recovering now, Dr Ismail said.
Dr Ismail confirmed that two 13-year-old schoolgirls – Siti Mardiana Mohd Ramli and Hasnira Akma Hussain – who were earlier suspected of being infected with the JE virus – had died from dengue and bacterial meningitis.
He said both girls tested negative for JE.
Dr Ismail said Siti Mardiana was diagnosed with viral encephalitis due to dengue.
“She died before doctors could do serial testing for dengue on her,” he said, adding that her family did not consent to a post-mortem.
Dr Ismail said Hasnira, who died on Jan 31, tested positive for acute bacterial meningitis and dengue fever.
He said 87 cases of suspected dengue had been reported in Kelantan. However, only 24 have been confirmed.
Eleven cases were reported in Tanah Merah while 36 cases were reported in Kota Baru.
Dr Ismail stressed that the dengue fever was more deadly than the JE virus, which is endemic.
Last year there were six deaths due to JE, compared with 108 deaths from dengue fever.