KOTA KINABALU: Sabah recorded its first case of Zika infection, the second in the country, after the first case was reported recently in Klang, Selangor.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah disclosed yesterday that the patient was a 61-year-old Dusun man from Taman Public Jaya Likas, Sabah.
The man, however, died at 5.30pm yesterday from heart-related complications.
Dr Noor Hisham said the case, which was reported to the ministry on Friday, is believed to be the first locally-transmitted Zika infection in the country.
“The Health Ministry is investigating further the patient’s recent travelling history. It is found that this Zika infection is most likely from a local source of infection, as the patient did not have any recent travelling history abroad and was probably been bitten by an Aedes mosquito infected with Zika,” said Dr Noor Hisham in a statement issued through the Sabah Health Department yesterday.
He disclosed that the patient developed fever on Aug 27 and sought medical attention for the first time at the Luyang Health Clinic on Aug 30.
The man sought further treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II the next day when he experienced worsening fever, muscle aches and diarrhoea.
The patient also has other co-morbidities, namely he was suffering from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, kidney stones and gout. Due to his multiple illnesses, the patient’s condition was quite serious when he was first seen in the Emergency and Trauma Department at the hospital.
“The patient’s blood and urine samples tested positive for Zika, but his serious clinical condition could be due to existing health afflictions and not primarily due to the Zika virus,” he said.
Based on the findings of the investigations, Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry had immediately started vector control activities in residential areas and places that the patient had visited, including the elimination of Aedes breeding sites and fogging.
“In addition, the patient’s close contacts will also be examined to determine if they have fever or other symptoms of Zika,” he added.
According to the Singapore Health Ministry, 11 Malaysians are confirmed to have been infected with the Zika virus.
Ten of them live and work in Singapore, while one person is working in Singapore but residing in Johor.
Dr Noor Hisham cautioned that since the Zika virus had been detected in this country, Zika case is expected to increase further, especially if prevention activities for Aedes were not seriously taken up by the community, individuals and other relevant agencies.
“Therefore, the MOH once again emphasises that a clean environment free from Aedes breeding grounds, proactive search and destroy Aedes breeding sites conducted at least once weekly by the community, and self-protection from mosquito bites such as using repellents, is an effective method of preventing the occurrence of Zika cases,” he said.
State Health director Dr Christina Rundi, meanwhile, said the department had implemented preventive measures to ensure no outbreak of the disease in Sabah since August last year.
Aside from preventive measures, such as training and courses about the Zika virus, the department also disseminated guidelines and health advisories, among other things, to members of the public, she added.
Among the symptoms of Zika infections include fever, body ache, rashes and conjunctivitis.