Seven ‘rat urine’ cases, one death

NST: KOTA TINGGI: Seven cases of leptospirosis, a disease spread through rat urine, have been reported in Johor since the state was hit by floods last month. One person has died.
On the whole, the health situation in the state is under control.
Five cases of leptospirosis have been reported in Johor Baru, one of them fatal. The others are in Segamat, the worst-hit area in the first wave of flooding on Dec 19.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the disease was under control but called for extra precautions to curb its spread.
He said rescue and voluntary workers had been vaccinated.
People should not play in the water or bathe in it because it is the main carrier of the disease.
All wounds should be treated as the disease entered the body via gaping wounds.
"I’m glad to say that in the past three days, there have been no reports of cholera or typhoid. But 2,000 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in relief centres in Johor," he said.
He clarified that based on blood samples, only one person had died of leptospirosis, not two as earlier reported by the Press.
Dr Chua said this after attending a briefing at the district hospital here yesterday. He added about 200 medical officers, nurses and attendants from Perak, Selangor and Negri Sembilan would be stationed in various district hospitals and clinics in Johor once the floods had subsided.
He anticipated a rise in the number of outpatients, especially those who had used up their medicines during the floods.

Symptoms of Leptospirosis
• High fever
• Headache
• Chill
• Muscle ache
• Conjunctivitis
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Kidney or liver problems
• Anaemia
• Rashes