Floods: Medical teams on standby in case of second wave

Star: PENANG: The Health Ministry has placed its medical teams from other states on standby in view of a possible second wave of floods in Johor, Pahang, Malacca and Negri Sembilan.
Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the medical teams comprising medical doctors and nurses were ready and would be despatched to help victims if floods hit again.
He said the ministry had ample medical supplies and medical personnel would be ferried to the flood hit areas by the police and armed forces.
Lee was commenting on concerns raised over the Meteorological Department’s forecast Wednesday of bad weather for Johor and south-eastern Pahang until Sunday, and continuous heavy rain for Malacca and Negri Sembilan for four more days which may result in further flooding.
Lee said the ministry had mobilised more than 1,000 medical personnel divided into 200 teams to help the 65,000 flood victims in Johor, Pahang, Malacca and Negri Sembilan.
He said the ministry's medical personnel were monitoring the food preparations and cleanliness level at the evacuation centres daily to ensure the people received clean food and water supply.
"They will also distribute fliers to remind flood victims to clear stagnant water in their surroundings to prevent dengue outbreak,” he said.
Lee said about 50 cases of flu, cough and itchiness were reported at the flood-hit areas, so far.