8th Zika victim in Malaysia detected - Health DG

Another Zika virus infection case has been detected in the country, involving a 67-year-old man from Petaling Jaya, bringing the total number of reported Zika cases to eight so far.

Health director-general, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry received the report on the case on Dec 14, which was detected through the Zika Virus Surveillance System.

He said the patient had fever, nausea and diarrhoea on Nov 28 and received treatment for these on Nov 30 at the Tanglin Health Clinic, here, but the blood test showed no significant difference.

"On Dec 1, the patient returned to the clinic because of body and joint aches but the dengue screening showed negative. The case was reported to the Petaling Health Office for suspected dengue and the patient asked to return each day for a blood test.

"His blood Samples were taken and sent to the National Public Health Lab (MKAK) in Sungai Buloh for other flavivirus tests (for yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika) in line with the national flavivirus screening protocol," he said in a statement, here, today.

Dr Noor Hisham said that on Dec 9, the MKAK informed on the positive result for Zika and the sample was sent to the Institute for Medical Research for confirmation, besides the additional urine sample, with the IMR also confirming it was positive for Zika on Dec 14.

He said Zika control activities were carried out at the locality of the patient's residence and places he had visited, besides the blood and urine samples of his close family members taken for Zika screening.

"Active case detection was also conducted at the patient's residential area to determine whether there were other residents having the Zika symptoms."

He said people were advised to ensure that their homes, inside and outside, were always clean and free of Aedes mosquito-breeding grounds and to take protective measures from mosquito bites.

"Individuals with Zika symptoms like fever, rashes, headache, muscular ache and conjunctivitis, and having visited Zika-endemic countries or having come into contact with Zika patients should see the doctor immediately," he further advised. -- BERNAMA