ALOR STAR: The Kedah Health Department confirmed that two cases of 'Japanese Encephalitis' (JE) infection have been detected in the Kota Setar district, with both cases involving death.
State Health director Dr Othman Warijo said the first case was reported on Nov 18 followed by the second case on Thursday (Nov 25) and the department declared an outbreak of JE in the district on Thursday.
In this regard, he said the cumulative number of JE cases reported in the state as of Thursday was 10 cases compared to eight cases in the same period last year, an increase of 25 per cent with three deaths out of the 10 cases.
"Outbreak control activities were implemented immediately. Among the control measures implemented by the Kota Setar District Health Office and the State Health Department are vector control through thermal space spraying and larvaciding in patients' residential localities as well as outbreak localities which are at risk.
"In addition, entomological studies by entomological science officers at outbreak localities and active case detection (ACD) were carried out around the affected areas," he said in a statement last night.
Dr Othman said the community was advised to clean up the environment and seek and destroy mosquito breeding grounds in their homes and get immediate treatment at health clinics if they experienced symptoms such as fever, headache and vomiting. -- Bernama