The laboratory tests conducted on 17 children who have been hospitalised due to vomiting and diarrhoea after taking a dip at Bukit Merah Lake Town, Perak, found 13 of them to be positive for the rotavirus.

Kedah Health director Datuk Dr Norhizan Ismail said three other cases were still awaiting confirmation while one child was treated as an outpatient.

"A total of 13 children are still at the hospital and are reported to be in stable condition while the other three have been discharged," he said in a statement here Saturday.

All the children were hospitalized due to vomiting and diarrhoea after visiting the theme park on Sept 28, with the first seven cases being recorded on the same day.

Another two new cases were recorded on Sept 29 and 30 while six new cases that were recorded today involved children aged 1 to 9 years.

Dr Norhizan said of the six new cases reported Saturday, three of the children were treated at a private hospital in Sungai Petani, three others were at the Kulim Hospital and one child was treated as an outpatient at the Selama Hospital, Perak.

Rotavirus is a contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines, and often strikes children under five years of age, with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain.

Meanwhile in IPOH, Perak Health deputy director (public health) Dr B.Venugopalan said that no new Rotavirus infection cases had been recorded in the state so far.

He said, as of yesterday, only three acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases were recorded in Perak, bringing the total number of cases to 19.

"Most of those infected are children and were tested positive after taking a bath at the water theme park," he said in a statement today.

Dr Venugopalan also said that the result of the laboratory test conducted on water samples from the theme park will take several days before being announced by the Health Ministry.

AGE is a waterborne disease that is often associated with contaminated pipe water and the symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. -- Bernama

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