Trio may have contracted leptospirosis in Kelantan

JOHOR BARU: Three people in Kelantan, who tested positive for leptospirosis (rat urine disease), were likely to have contracted the disease in their hometown Tanah Merah following the floods there recently.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said it was unlikely that they contracted it in Kajang, Selangor, where they went for a family reunion last month.

Based on findings, the three had probably developed symptoms of leptospirosis two weeks before travelling to Kajang, he added.

“The infection could have been caused by the floodwaters in Tanah Merah recently.”

He said blood and urine samples taken from the three confirmed that they had leptospirosis and not severe pneumonia as suspected.

He was speaking to reporters here yesterday at the Johor Unity Ponggal Festival 2017 at Mutiara Rini Urban Forest Park.

They and three others had been admitted to Tanah Merah Hospital for fears of being infected by a “mystery virus” after their Kajang trip.

Dr Subramaniam said tests would also be conducted on the other three to determine whether they had contracted the same virus.

“The Kelantan Health Department will investigate if the infection had indeed originated from floodwaters in Tanah Merah. It will take a week or two,” he said.

He said one of those who attended the reunion and later died, 59-year-old Nasarudin Adam, an employee of the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority, had diabetes, hypertension and asthma. The cause of death is being investigated.

On the two Year One pupils of SK Tengkera 2 in Malacca suspected to have contracted H1N1 on Friday, Dr Subramaniam said the ministry was awaiting the results of their blood tests.