Cholera outbreak in northern Sabah contained

Star: KOTA KINABALU: A cholera outbreak in three northern Sabah districts has been contained with dozens of patients suspected to be infected or carriers of the disease already being discharged from hospitals.
“The situation has settled down. There has been no new cases,” state Deputy Director of Health Dr Mohd Yusof Ibrahim said when contacted yesterday.
The outbreak that began about a month ago saw some 50 people being hospitalised in Pitas, where one person was pronounced dead on arrival at the district hospital.
Another 17 people were admitted to the Kudat hospital while 15 people were hospitalised in Kota Marudu after showing symptoms of being infected or being carriers of the disease.
Many of the patients in Kudat were from nearby villages such as Kampung Tanjung Kapor, Kampung Marabahai, squatter settlements and islands, including Kampung Mariangin.
Following the outbreak, Health Department staff in the three districts began alerting the public about the need to practice clean hygiene and consume only boiled water.
The cholera outbreak was one the most severe since last May, when the disease struck six Sabah districts. The northern Kota Belud district was the worst hit with more than 100 villagers hospitalised.