High Alert For Dengue And Cholera In Flood Hit Segamat

SEGAMAT, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- The health authorities are on high alert for the outbreak of diseases, especially dengue and cholera, in Segamat, one of the districts worst hit by floods in Johor.
Segamat district senior health officer Dr Zaharah Mohd Salleh said that over the last five days, three cholera cases had been detected and the health authorities were bracing themselves for an outbreak of cholera.
"In the last five days (since the flooding began), we have treated 156 patients for various ailments. We have 10 health clinics in this district. We have also warded 30 people because of pre-natal treatment, jaundice and other viral infections," she told Bernama Saturday.
She said the three cholera cases were detected at Sekolah Menengah Tinggi Segamat, which is now used as a flood relief centre.
Some of the victims had to be flown by helicopter to the Segamat Hospital, about 5km away, because flood waters had cut off the roads connecting the school and hospital, she said.
She said interviews with the cholera victims showed that they contracted the disease after consuming untreated water.
"We are also testing blood samples taken from flood victims at the relief centre to ensure that they are disease free. We advise anyone who has fever to immediately seek treatment from nearby clinics," she added.
Meanwhile, the district health department had formed 60 teams to ensure that there is no dengue outbreak after the flood waters recede.
"During the floods dengue-carrying mosquitoes could have laid their eggs and after the waters recede, these eggs could hatch. What we want to do is to spray all flood-affected areas after the waters go down.
"We have also told the local councils to start fumigation exercise after the flood waters recede. We are not taking anything for granted. We want to put up all the necessary precautions in place to ensure that there is no outbreak of diseases during and after the floods," Dr Zaharah added.