Malaysia - Assorted Illnesses April 30, 2009 +

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised


http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2556575/Article/index_html

2009/05/14
Quarantine extended

By : Jason Gerald John


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Students of Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Tiang Dua in Malacca have stopped wearing their masks. ? Bernama picture</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!--end pix1-->
MALACCA: The Health Ministry has extended until Sunday the quarantine period of the 80 trainees at the Road Transport Department Academy in Tiang Dua .
<!--start pix2 & pix3--> <table align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" width="200"> </table> <!--end pix2 & pix3--> The period beginning May 7, was to end today.

The extension was to give time to the Microbiology Lab in Sungai Buloh to identify the exact type of bacteria -- gram negative diplococci -- which caused the bacterial meningitis outbreak.

State Women's Affairs, Family Development and Health committee deputy chairman Chua Kheng Hwa said the decision was also to prevent further complications to the trainees and any possible infection to people coming into contact with them once the quarantine was lifted.

"I was informed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that the lab had yet to identify the exact type of bacteria which caused the outbreak.
<center><!-- start video--> <!-- end video--> </center> "This is a preventive measure. The trainees will be released once the results are obtained from the ministry, which is expected in the next few days," he said after a dialogue with the parent-teacher association (PTA) of SJK (C) Tiang Dua here yesterday.

Also present were Bukit Katil MP Datuk Mat Sirat Abu and state health director Dr Ghazali Othman.

Chua also said teachers and students could continue to wear masks if they wanted to.

The Education Ministry, on Tuesday, issued a notice to the school that it was not necessary for the teachers and students to wear masks as the Health Ministry had stated the bacterial meningitis was not airborne and that the distance between the school and academy was not close enough to warrant masks to be worn.

The school is 2km from the academy. Parents, teachers and students objected and 35 students did not attend school yesterday.

"They can continue to wear masks. It is up to them," said Chua.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam also visited the school and assured teachers and students that the outbreak was under control.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

ELECTRIC NEWS
Panic, anger as more are warded for meningitis in Malacca 46 warded in the state, but source of infection not yet discoveredMay 15, 2009

THERE are no cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in Malaysia so far. But the country's healthcare service has another problem on its hands right now.
NOT NEEDED: Students at this primary school were originally told to wear masks while in school. The Education Ministry has since told them not to.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported the number of patients treated at Malacca Hospital for bacterial meningitis rose to 46 yesterday.
This figure, combined with another patient who is hospitalised in Kepala Batas in Penang, brings the total number of affected patients nationwide to 47.
The scare began on 4 May, when a student at Malacca's Road Transport Department Academy complained of running nose, fever, cough and headache when he returned to the academy after going on leave.
He was among 95 academy students involved in a three-day field training exercise in Negri Sembilan, Johor and Melaka between 27 and 29 Apr.
Malacca State Health director Ghazali Othman said that the students went on leave after the training and returned to the academy on 3 May.
He said: 'After the student complained of the symptoms, he was taken to Malacca Hospital the same day but died on the way there. The post-mortem showed that he had died of bacterial meningitis.'
A few other students were also rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. Three of them were warded.
Dr Ghazali said 85 other students involved in the exercise were then quarantined at Malacca Hospital and the academy's quarters, while another student was hospitalised at Kepala Batas.
By Monday, 32 trainees were hospitalised with the disease in Malacca and Penang. On Tuesday, that figure quickly rose to 39, when four students quarantined at the academy, two of the hospital's radiographers and the fiancee of one of the students contracted symptoms of the disease.
Yesterday, the figure rose to 46.
Malaysia's director-general of health, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, told Bernama yesterday that two cases were treated at the hospital's ICU and were expected to be taken out of the ward today.
He said another 44 cases at the isolation ward comprised 39 trainees, a trainer, a woman who contacted one of the trainees, two trainee radiographers and a trainee nurse.
He added that the source of the infection has still not been discovered, and doctors and health workers were working hard to find the carrier.
Different from H1N1
Dr Mohd Ismail told Bernama the infection was caused by the Neisseria meningitides bacteria which was only carried by humans, and added that it was not similar to the H1N1 virus.
He said a medical team was still on duty at the academy to monitor a total of 81 trainees.
The outbreak has led to panic and anger among the community.
On Sunday, the parent-teacher association (PTA), school authorities and parents of a primary school near the academy agreed that students and teachers should wear masks at all times while in school and the surrounding areas.
But a directive from the Malaysian education ministry on Tuesday then stated that students and teachers need not wear masks to school as there 'was no threat' from the outbreak at the academy.
By 11am yesterday, the students and teachers were no longer wearing the masks.
Malacca state education director Isa Abu told NST that bacterial meningitis was not airborne and the distance between the school and academy was not near enough to warrant masks to be worn.
The wearing of masks would also create panic among the people in the surrounding areas.
Village headman Chan Kwong Wu told NST he had received numerous complaints from parents distressed after being told that their children were told to stop wearing the masks.
He said the parents told him they would not take their children to school for the time being if they were not allowed to wear masks.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,201982,00.html

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/15/nation/3912922&sec=nation
Friday May 15, 2009
Five suspected meningitis patients allowed to go home

PUTRAJAYA: Five of the 42 patients treated at the Malacca Hospital for suspected meningitis have been allowed to return home, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said.

He said there was only one new patient from the Road Transport Department Academy admitted to the hospital on Wednesday.

?The two patients treated at the intensive care unit have recovered and now being treated at the isolation ward,? he said in a statement here yesterday.

Dr Ismail, who visited the Malacca Hospital and the academy, said the control and prevention activities carried out were good and organised.

?Such measures will continue with the cooperation from the academy?s administration until all patients have fully recovered from the illness,? he said.

He added that residents and schoolchildren near the academy should not be worried about getting the disease as it was not air-borne.

He said infection would only take place through close contact with those who have the illness.

Meanwhile in Malacca, students of SRJK(C) Tiang Dua returned to school after there were concerns about being told not to wear masks.

Parents were given a briefing on Wednesday by the health authorities and most of them agreed that it was safe for their children to stop wearing masks.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

The patient in Kepala Batas must be the trainee moved there on May 10th.

Sunday May 10, 2009
Trainee moved to Kepala Batas Hospital

KEPALA BATAS: A trainee who contracted bacterial meningitis at the Road Transport Department academy in Malacca is now recuperating at the Kepala Batas Hospital.

Mohd Ashraff Sabrani, 23, who works at the State Road Transport Department, was admitted to the hospital and placed in the intensive care unit after he developed high fever last Sunday.

He was transferred to the isolation unit the following day after his condition improved.

A hospital spokesman confirmed Mohd Ashraff?s family members did not have any symptoms of meningitis but were advised to take some medication including antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/10/nation/3873827&sec=nation

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=13499
Ministry ready to face even bigger outbreaks
Giam Say Khoon

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry is "locked and loaded" to face even bigger bird flu outbreaks should they occur.

Its Disease Control Department director Dr Ramlee Rahmat said yesterday (March 22, 2006) the ministry had prepared a series of plan of action (POA) for the disease outbreak since last year (2005).

"The POA includes active surveillance check, preparation of designated hospitals and laboratories for testing human samples," he told theSun yesterday.

Ramlee said the ministry has sufficient staff nationwide to execute the POA in all states.

"But if the situation become worse, the ministry will mobilise staff from other states to aid the affected states, just as we did during the dengue outbreak last year," he said.

Ramlee said that if the 21 nationwide-designated hospitals for the disease cannot accommodate the number suspected-case patients and provided that the virus cannot transmit from human to human, the ministry will consider upgrading district hospitals as additional isolation wards.

"Suspected patients will first be warded and monitored in the district hospitals, and if needed, they will be transferred to the designated general hospitals for further check-up and treatment," he said.

Ramlee said to date, only two patients in Seberang Perai with flu symptoms were warded in Kepala Batas hospital and Penang Hospital.

However, he said investigations show the symptoms in the two do not meet the criteria of bird flu and will be discharged soon after receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, many villagers have been seen rounding up fowl without proper protection suits, which increase the risk of their contracting the disease.

Ramlee said villagers should wear whatever protection gears they have like masks, gloves and goggles.

He said they should properly cover their hands, mouth and nose whenever they are trying to round out their poultry.

"They should also wash themselves, all their gear and clothes after being in contact with fowl as it is impossible for the authorities to provide protection suits to everyone," he added.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.chinapress.com.my/content_new.asp?dt=2009-05-15&sec=malaysia&art=0515m50a19.txt
Suffering from suspected meningitis feeling
Fu training police cadets died
To Jalan Tuanku furong mortuary of the hospital the police officers wear a mask, just in case.
(Hibiscus hearing on the 14th) the Police Training Center, students suffering from suspected meningitis, a sense of discomfort when in the marching, the results of hospital and later died.

Mohamed弗汀the deceased (22 years old, from Sabah), and Aida Hui Bao Yi light of the Police Training Center students, who arrived last night furong Jalan Tuanku of hospitals, and in today's 3:30 dead.

Its a family this morning arrived from Sabah Jalan Tuanku furong hospital mortuary after death difficult to accept the fact that the deceased, is not entitled collapsed and was rushed to emergency room treatment.

Did not confirm whether the deceased and killed due to meningitis, but after the incident, hospitals on alert, so that none near the morgue, the police officers out of the morgue, medical staff and their families, such as wearing masks皆需, the hospital is also prohibited the media to take photographs.

At first, the family of the deceased do not want to accept the deceased body was dissected until the Health Department staff arrived at the hospital and negotiations, the deceased's family agreed to the practice of the hospital.

Did not confirm the cause of death

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.chinapress.com.my/content_new.asp?dt=2009-05-15&sec=malaysia&art=0515m50a20.txt
Controlled the outbreak of meningitis
Medical staff to stop wearing masks
(Malacca hearing on the 14th) meningitis outbreak under control, a central hospital ambulance staff to stop wearing masks.

A state central hospital emergency departments, ambulance personnel and police officers over and so on, this afternoon I do not wear a mask over the past few days working the scene, so it is no longer the tense atmosphere.

In addition, many of the people door-to-door visits or re-distribution of masks.

Director of the department to see the presence of Yaya ceremony of the Chinese media, accusing the media of photography staff to wear masks to the public, therefore a cause for alarm.

He said that wearing masks may not be patients at the same time the media did not need to report on this event.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Ismail Lai Ding this morning also went to college to inspect the land transport, but in the media arrived at the scene before Ismael had left the college.

"Ismail is in a state this morning to attend a meeting, go to the college visits, and then all doors will be back."
> swap

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.chinapress.com.my/content_new.asp?dt=2009-05-15&sec=malaysia&art=0515m50a21.txt

Meningitis from bacterial infection
Liao Lesotho: Students wear masks do not want to dwell
A central hospital emergency departments and the public ambulance personnel do not wear masks, and the atmosphere was not tense.
(Bentong hearing on the 14th) of Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lai said that, meningitis is a bacterial infection, transmitted by air, covering areas of the public do not need to wear a mask, if parents are concerned that their children want to wear masks to school, the Ministry of Health does not will stop.

He also appealed to people suffering from a cold or cough, it is important to wear masks, avoid crowded places, avoid the mouth of the bacteria will spread to others.

"Malacca case of meningitis is under control of infection in the use of antibiotics has gradually recovered after the completion of treatment, can be discharged."

He said that the virus is allowed to advance the prevention, but we have to wait to be bacterial infection, treatment can be done to advance prevention.

Bentong yesterday for his City Hall hosted by the Chinese understanding and prevention of communicable diseases opening lecture, so that the.

He said that the Ministry of Health will lecture tour across the country will do, let people learn more about the A (H1N1) influenza, dengue, Chikungunya and meningitis information, to strengthen preventive work.

He said the World Health Organization refers to influenza A, paragraph 2 there will be a wave of the epidemic, prevention efforts in China.

He said that the dengue and Chikungunya disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, the people must always check and clean water at home to prevent mosquito breeding, as is at present no drug treatment, patients have to drink a lot, if the deal properly, will lead to death.

He said that the Ministry of Health at the national team set up a voluntary anti-poor response, the Ministry of Health would like more people to participate, together with a declaration of war to the Peutz-mosquito.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/2557470/Article/index_html
2009/05/15
Situation calms down, it's back to school


Headmaster Low Chee Meng with his students. Parents are now less afraid and students are returning to school.

MALACCA: Ten Road Transport Department (RTD) Academy trainees have been discharged and allowed to return home after spending seven days at the isolation ward of Malacca Hospital for bacterial meningitis infection.
However, two trainees were admitted to the hospital after their conditions worsened yesterday.

The New Straits Times understands that five trainees were allowed to go home on Wednesday night while the other five were discharged yesterday.

Three hospital employees -- two trainee radiographers and a trainee nurse -- a RTD Academy trainer and the fiancee of one of the trainees are still receiving treatment at the hospital but their conditions are improving.

With this development, there are now 45 people with the bacterial meningitis infection at the hospital, including 40 RTD trainees.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=411049&cat=ct
Central Region News
(excluding Federal Territory)
May 14, 2009 18:59 PM

Meningitis Scare At Seremban Hospital

SEREMBAN, May 14 (Bernama) -- Negeri Sembilan Director of Health Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar has advised the people to remain calm following a meningitis scare at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital where a policeman died today.

An investigation was being conducted to determine whether the policeman had died of any contagious disease, he said, adding that the body had been sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for the post mortem.

"I can confirm that there has been no case of any contagious disease such as Influenza A (H1N1) in the state," he told reporters at his office here.

Negeri Sembilan, like the other states, always took precautionary measures in the case of contagious diseases, he said.

News of the death of the policeman, who hailed from Sabah, caused a stir at the hospital after people saw the hospital staff handling the body wearing face masks and gloves.

Hospital director Dr Jaafar Che Mat, when contacted by Bernama earlier, did not dismiss the possibility of the policeman having died from meningitis.

A hospital staff approached by Bernama said the use of face masks and gloves was a normal procedure to prevent the spread of any contagious diseases.

A meningitis outbreak in Melaka early this month had sent many people to hospital there for suspected meningitis, with 46 people still remaining in an Isolation Ward.

The outbreak, at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Academy there, resulted in the death of a trainee of the disease.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=410485
May 12, 2009 14:57 PM

20 Million Tourist Arrivals Targeted This Year

PETALING JAYA, May 12 (Bernama) -- A total of 20 million tourists are targeted to arrive this year compared to 22 million last year, Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said today.

"The tourist arrivals target has been reduced by eight percent. It is a reasonable target in view of the current global economic situation. It is also an achievable number," she told reporters after launching Malaysia Airlines' one-stop ticket centre at the Skypark Subang Terminal here.

She said the ministry would cooperate with agencies like Malaysia Airlines to undertake sales missions around the world to promote tourism activities.

The ministry also aimed to attract tourists to stay longer in Malaysia and spend more money, she added.

Asked about the Golden Third Age (G3A) programme, Dr Ng said the ministry was looking at countries like Japan and China.

"What is important now is for Malaysian tour operators and the various source countries to work together. This G3A is a fantastic programme. The initiatives of hotel and tour operators and airlines must come together. We will provide supporting brochures," she said.

The G3A programme is aimed at encouraging senior citizens to go for holidays.

On the impact of the H1N1 flu outbreak and meningitis on the tourism industry, Dr Ng said there was a need to deliver correct information on this matter.

"What is important is that we need to provide correct information to the media and tourism groups so that the information is channeled to the public and tourists coming to this country," she said.

-- BERNAMA

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

Re: Malaysia Suspt'd Meningitis 46 Hospitalised

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...police-trainee-died-of-meningitis-in-seremban
Friday May 15 2009
Related Articles

* Meningitis outbreak caused by diplococci bacteria
* Meningitis patients responding to treatment

Ministry confirms police trainee died of meningitis in Seremban

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 ? The Health Ministry today confirmed that a trainee of the police training centre in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, had died of meningitis at the Tuanku Ja?afar Hospital in Seremban yesterday.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the post mortem on the trainee showed that he had acute pericarditis and the ministry was investigating the source of the disease.

?Two cases are being treated at the isolation ward of the Jempol Hospital. Their condition is stable,? he said in a statement here.

Dr Mohd Ismail also said 29 trainees were under observation by a medical team and anyone showing symptoms of the disease would be referred to the Jempol Hospital immediately.

He said that so far 166 people who had come into contact with the cases had been identified and administered the prophylaxis antibiotic, and preventive and control measures had been taken to contain the disease.

On the situation at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Academy in Melaka where the first outbreak of meningitis was recorded earlier this month, 32 cases are still being treated at the isolation ward of the Melaka Hospital, he said.

He said 10 of the 42 cases under treatment yesterday had been discharged.

Dr Mohd Ismail said people living in the vicinity of the JPJ Academy as well as students schooling nearby should not be overly concerned as the disease was only spread when one came into contact with the air droplets from coughs or sneezes.

He said good ventilation was one way of preventing contracting meningitis. ? Bernama

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/15/nation/20090515181445&sec=nation
Published: Friday May 15, 2009 MYT 6:16:00 PM
A police trainee dies of pericarditis; 29 under observation
By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Twenty-nine trainees from the Police Training Centre (Pulapah) in Air Hitam near here have been put under observation at the Jempol Hospital after their colleague died Thursday of acute pericarditis, a viral infection of the sac surrounding the heart.

Health Minister director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican said Friday that two others have been admitted to an isolation ward at the same hospital

"The two are in stable condition. Our officers will continue to monitor the situation at Pulapah around the clock and any new suspect cases will be referred straight to the Jempol Hospital," he said in a statement.

Ismail said the health authorities were still investigating how the victim was infected.

"To date, we have prescribed antibiotics to 166 individuals who came into contact with the deceased. We have also taken preventive measures to ensure the disease doesn't spread," he said.

The trainee's death at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital near here on Friday caused a scare when rumours went around attributing it to meningitis.

Patients and visitors to the TJH panicked when they saw hospital staff handling the body wearing face masks and gloves.

To allay their fears, hospital director Dr Jaafar Che Mat said the use of face masks and gloves was a normal procedure to prevent the spread of any contagious diseases.

A meningitis outbreak in Malacca caused many people to be sent to hospital for suspected meningitis. As of early Thursday, 46 people are still warded at an isolation ward at Malacca Hospital.

The outbreak at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) academy there had resulted in the death of a trainee.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/NewsBreak/20090515182648/Article/index_html
2009/05/15
Police trainee died of heart infection, not flu
By : Heidi Foo

SEREMBAN, Fri:

A post-mortem report revealed that the death of a trainee, from the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Air Hitam, Jempol, was due to 'acute pericarditis' or infection in the heart.
Health Ministry director-general Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Merican said tests were being conducted to determine if Mohammad Fathrin, 22, from Sabah, had died from the influenza A(H1N1) virus or meningitis.

The deceased had complained of a headache and was sent to the Jempol Hospital, before being transferred to the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, here, where he died on Thursday.

Ismail said that two trainees from the centre have been receiving treatment at the isolation ward in the Jempol Hospital soon after the death of Mohammad Fathrin.

"Another 29 trainees are under observation while all staff and trainees at the centre, will be monitored on a 24 hour basis by the state Health Department officers" he said in a statement.
He also said that, to date, the ministry has detected 166 cases of meningitis and treated patients using prophylactic antibiotics, to prevent the spread of the disease.

 

[alert]

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Note the red text. The RTD trainees just had a training session in Negeri Sembilan, the same place where this police academy is. These new cases are linked to the other outbreak. I'm not sure what this outbreak is, but it is all related.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...police-trainee-died-of-meningitis-in-seremban

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 ? The Health Ministry today confirmed that a trainee of the police training centre in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, had died of meningitis at the Tuanku Ja?afar Hospital in Seremban yesterday.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the post mortem on the trainee showed that he had acute pericarditis and the ministry was investigating the source of the disease.

?Two cases are being treated at the isolation ward of the Jempol Hospital. Their condition is stable,? he said in a statement here.

Dr Mohd Ismail also said 29 trainees were under observation by a medical team and anyone showing symptoms of the disease would be referred to the Jempol Hospital immediately.

He said that so far 166 people who had come into contact with the cases had been identified and administered the prophylaxis antibiotic, and preventive and control measures had been taken to contain the disease.

On the situation at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Academy in Melaka where the first outbreak of meningitis was recorded earlier this month, 32 cases are still being treated at the isolation ward of the Melaka Hospital, he said.

He said 10 of the 42 cases under treatment yesterday had been discharged.

Dr Mohd Ismail said people living in the vicinity of the JPJ Academy as well as students schooling nearby should not be overly concerned as the disease was only spread when one came into contact with the air droplets from coughs or sneezes.

He said good ventilation was one way of preventing contracting meningitis. ? Bernama

 

[alert]

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/NewsBreak/20090515182648/Article/index_html
2009/05/15
Police trainee died of heart infection, not flu
By : Heidi Foo

SEREMBAN, Fri:

A post-mortem report revealed that the death of a trainee, from the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Air Hitam, Jempol, was due to 'acute pericarditis' or infection in the heart.
Health Ministry director-general Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Merican said tests were being conducted to determine if Mohammad Fathrin, 22, from Sabah, had died from the influenza A(H1N1) virus or meningitis.

The deceased had complained of a headache and was sent to the Jempol Hospital, before being transferred to the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, here, where he died on Thursday.

Ismail said that two trainees from the centre have been receiving treatment at the isolation ward in the Jempol Hospital soon after the death of Mohammad Fathrin.

"Another 29 trainees are under observation while all staff and trainees at the centre, will be monitored on a 24 hour basis by the state Health Department officers" he said in a statement.
He also said that, to date, the ministry has detected 166 cases of meningitis and treated patients using prophylactic antibiotics, to prevent the spread of the disease.

I think that last statement is an error. This article mentions that 166 people were given antibiotics as a precaution - they were not necessarily infected with anything:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/15/nation/20090515181445&sec=nation

SEREMBAN: Twenty-nine trainees from the Police Training Centre (Pulapah) in Air Hitam near here have been put under observation at the Jempol Hospital after their colleague died Thursday of acute pericarditis, a viral infection of the sac surrounding the heart.

Health Minister director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican said Friday that two others have been admitted to an isolation ward at the same hospital

"The two are in stable condition. Our officers will continue to monitor the situation at Pulapah around the clock and any new suspect cases will be referred straight to the Jempol Hospital," he said in a statement.

Ismail said the health authorities were still investigating how the victim was infected.

"To date, we have prescribed antibiotics to 166 individuals who came into contact with the deceased. We have also taken preventive measures to ensure the disease doesn't spread," he said.
The trainee's death at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital near here on Friday caused a scare when rumours went around attributing it to meningitis.

Patients and visitors to the TJH panicked when they saw hospital staff handling the body wearing face masks and gloves.

To allay their fears, hospital director Dr Jaafar Che Mat said the use of face masks and gloves was a normal procedure to prevent the spread of any contagious diseases.

A meningitis outbreak in Malacca caused many people to be sent to hospital for suspected meningitis. As of early Thursday, 46 people are still warded at an isolation ward at Malacca Hospital.

The outbreak at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) academy there had resulted in the death of a trainee.

 

[alert]

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

A lot of good information here. I think this outbreak almost must be Nisseria meningitidis bacterial meningitis now. About 10 of the 42 RTD victims have recovered and been discharged after a week of antibiotic therapy, which suggest a bacterial, not viral cause. Also, the wording below that meningitis would cause the pericarditis likely means that the meningitis bacteria would cause it.

I just wish I could find one article confirming explicitly the type of bacteria to ease my worry.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...police-trainee-died-of-meningitis-in-seremban

Ministry confirms police trainee died of meningitis in Seremban
PUTRAJAYA, May 15 ? The Health Ministry today confirmed that a trainee of the police training centre in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, had died of meningitis at the Tuanku Ja?afar Hospital in Seremban yesterday.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the post mortem on the trainee showed that he had acute pericarditis and the ministry was investigating the source of the disease.

?Two cases are being treated at the isolation ward of the Jempol Hospital. Their condition is stable,? he said in a statement here.

Dr Mohd Ismail also said 29 trainees were under observation by a medical team and anyone showing symptoms of the disease would be referred to the Jempol Hospital immediately.

He said that so far 166 people who had come into contact with the cases had been identified and administered the prophylaxis antibiotic, and preventive and control measures had been taken to contain the disease.

On the situation at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Academy in Melaka where the first outbreak of meningitis was recorded earlier this month, 32 cases are still being treated at the isolation ward of the Melaka Hospital, he said.

He said 10 of the 42 cases under treatment yesterday had been discharged.

Dr Mohd Ismail said people living in the vicinity of the JPJ Academy as well as students schooling nearby should not be overly concerned as the disease was only spread when one came into contact with the air droplets from coughs or sneezes.

He said good ventilation was one way of preventing contracting meningitis. ? Bernama

 

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Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

This is an old article that we missed, so the case numbers are wrong, but it does mention that tests indicate meningococcal bacterial meningitis, which is really the only diagnosis I can even imagine here.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...6-meningitis-patients-responding-to-treatment

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 ? All 19 patients receiving treatment at the Melaka Hospital are responding positively to treatment said Director general of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican.

He added that three of them were warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 16 others were receiving treatment at an isolated ward.

Dr Mohd Ismail said a medical team comprising a medical officer and four nurses are also stationed at the Melaka JPJ Academy in Tiang Dua, to monitor 334 trainees. ?Anybody who showed signs or symptoms will be referred to the Melaka Hospital for treatment,? he said in a statement today.

He said initial clinical tests on samples revealed that the outbreak is known as Meningococcal Meningitis.

Measures taken are symptomatic treatment for each patient and referral to the hospital, Prophylaxis antibiotic treatment for trainees, academic staff and health staff involved, isolating patients at the hospital and the academy as well as checking the academy?s surroundings, he said.

?Preventive and control measures will continue until the situation returns to normal,? he said. ? Bernama

 

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Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

This article seems to suggest the police trainee's death is caused by a viral infection of the heart, not bacterial meningitis. This is a little troubling because I can't imagine what virus would cause this.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/16/nation/3918815&sec=nation

SEREMBAN: Twenty-nine trainees from the Police Training Centre (Pulapah) in Air Hitam, near here, have been placed under observation at the Jempol Hospital after a colleague died from acute pericarditis, which is inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. The inflammation is usually caused by a viral infection.

The trainee died on Thursday.

Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican said two others have been admitted to an isolation ward at the same hospital.

?The two are in stable condition. Our officers will continue to monitor the situation at Pulapah around the clock and any suspected cases will be referred to the Jempol Hospital,? he said in a statement.

Ismail said the health authorities were still investigating how the victim was infected.

?To date, we have prescribed antibiotics to 166 individuals who came into contact with the deceased. We have also taken preventive measures to ensure the disease doesn?t spread,? he said.

The trainee?s death at the Tuanku Ja?afar Hospital yesterday caused a scare when rumours had the cause as meningitis.

Patients and visitors to the hospital panicked when they saw hospital staff members handling the body wearing face masks and gloves.

To allay their fears, hospital director Dr Jaafar Che Mat said the use of face masks and gloves was a normal procedure to prevent the spread of any contagious disease.

A recent meningitis outbreak in Malacca resulted in many people being hospitalised for suspected meningitis.

As at Thursday, 46 people were still in the isolation ward at the Malacca Hospital.

The outbreak at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) academy there resulted in the death of a trainee.

 

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Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

Re: Malaysia Sus. Meningitis 46 Hospitalised 2 more Seremban

We seem to have two separate but possibly related outbreaks in a small geographic area. This is an older article about the RTD outbreak in Malacca. Note the mention that the quarantined trainees already had mild symptoms, and also note the symptoms. This is not consistent with bacterial meningitis. This outbreak should probably be considered undiagnosed, but is likely bacterial. Can anyone even hazard a guess at a diagnosis?

Also note that this articles said (six days ago) that results would be avaiable in three days.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Frontpage/2553141/Article/index_html

MALACCA: The symptoms shown by the Road Transport Department Academy trai-nees at the Malacca Hospital are consistent with bacterial meningitis but the possibility of it being a viral influenza or some other bacterial infection has yet to be eliminated.

State health director Dr Ghazali Othman said that the trainees' symptoms, such as head and muscle aches, stomach cramps, fatigue, cough, nausea and shivering, and the fact that they were responding well to the medication given, indicated that it could be bacterial meningitis.

"However, we have taken the samples of blood, urine and swabs from the throat and sent them to the Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur. We expect the results within three days.

"We have not ruled out the possibility that these trainees might have been infected by viral influenza," he said.

Dr Ghazali was commenting on the trainee who died on Monday and the remaining 15 warded at Malacca Hospital, including three at the Intensive Care Unit.

One trainee, Mohd Ashraff Sabrani, 23, was also at the Kepala Batas Hospital in Penang and was being warded for a disease "still not yet known".

The other trainees who have shown similar symptoms, but on a mild scale, have been quarantined at the academy in Tiang Dua here. All the trainees are male and aged from 22 to 24.

Dr Ghazali also said the source of the infection had not been determined as the trainees had undergone a field training programme between April 27 and 29 in three locations -- Pedas in Negri Sembilan, Muar in Johor and Bukit Katil here. "There is a possibility the virus might have originated at the RTD Academy."

Dr Ghazali that all state health departments had been alerted and were in the midst of tracking the movements of all the trainees, including during the Workers Day holidays when they spent the weekend with their families.



He added in any bacterial infection, there would be an incubation period of between four and seven days.