GENTING: The source of the acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreak in Batang Padang and Hilir Perak is expected to be known today, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said a team sent by the ministry to the areas in Perak had taken about 1,000 litres of water samples in 24 affected locations for testing and analysis.
“At this stage the situation is under control and no new cases have been reported,” he told reporters after attending a Chinese New Year celebration at the Genting international Convention Centre with 500 children and senior citizens from 13 schools and welfare homes in Bentong parliamentary constituency here yesterday.
AGE caused by rotavirus, a water-borne virus resulted in the death of two infants and sickness to 2,200 children since the outbreak at the end of last month.
Meanwhile, Liow said the ministry was considering to increase the RM100 compound for breeding aedes mosquitoes to RM500. He said the action might be necessary in view of the drastic increase in the number of dengue cases reported in the first two months of this year.
“To date, 2,854 dengue cases have been detected with 11 deaths, as compared to 2,781 cases and six deaths in the same period last year.
“If this situation persists the ministry will have no choice but to increase the compound. However, we have not made any decision yet,” he said.
Liow said Selangor recorded the highest number with 1,271, which was almost 50 per cent of the total cases while Kuala Lumpur trailed with 313 cases.
The ministry imposed the RM500 compound in 2010 when the number of cases climbed to 1,000 a week, and the action effectively recorded a decline in dengue incidence.
He also said the ministry would strengthen the Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi), a dengue prevention and control programme which currently has 2,000 volunteers, by increasing the number of members and training funds. — Bernama