Health Ministry Anticipates Dengue Outbreak In Flood-hit Areas

SEGAMAT, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry anticipates an outbreak of dengue in areas hit by the recent floods in about two weeks if no effort is made to clean up the affcted places quickly.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said this was based on the condition of the affected areas, which were in a dirty state and conducive for Aedes mosquitoes to breed.
"There is a likelihood that we will see a sudden surge in the number of dengue cases in another two weeks if no effort is made to clean up the areas and rid them of stagnant water pools," he told reporters after launching a post-flood disease prevention campaign in Kampung Abdullah here.
He advised residents in the affected areas to ensure cleanliness of their compounds and surroundings to ensure that they were free of breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes.
Chua said that preventive measures were being undertaken to prevent outbreaks of diseases like cholera, typhoid, food-poisoning, hepatitis A and diarrhoea in the aftermath of the floods.
Apart from keeping away mosquitoes and flies, he advised residents to also rid their homes and surroundings of cockroaches and mice, which also contributed to the spread of diseases.
He said that the people should exercise personal hygiene and to wash their hands with soap and water often, adding that those who came down with fever should seek immediate treatment.
Chua said that the quality of water at treatment plants was also being monitored and that 612 water samples had been taken until Jan 3 for analysis.