Zika: Contacts of first infected Sabahan free of virus

Blood and urine tests conducted on the 10 people who had come into contact with the first Zika-infected person in Sabah have shown negative results, it was stated here today.

Sabah Health Department director Dr Christina Rundi said control and preventive measures were implemented soon after the Zika case was detected on Sept 3.

The 61-year-old man, the second Malaysian who had tested positive for Zika, has died due to heart complications.

The first Malaysian found to have contracted the disease is a 58-year-old woman in Klang, Selangor, who had returned from Singapore.

Dr Christina said the department implemented the control and preventive measures within a 400-metre radius of the house of the infected man to stop the spread of the disease.

"There are 775 premises within that area. Our teams visited 725 of the premises but only 280 or 37 per cent were inspected. They could not enter the other premises because the occupants refused to allow them inside or there were no occupants," she said in a statement.

She also said that steps were taken to destroy the breeding grounds of the Aedes mosquito, carrier of the Zika virus, by inspecting 814 containers, of which 11 were found to contain the Aedes larvae.

Dr Christina said Zika awareness promotions were held at the locality concerned, which included two public announcements, 142 minor group discussions involving 423 people, individual advice to 141 people and the distribution of 141 leaflets.

"As the Zika and Dengue viruses are borne by the same Aedes mosquito, the control and preventive measures are confined to destroying the mosquito," she said.

Dr Christina said Dengue remained a primary health concern in Sabah and that this year up to Sept 3, a total of 2,516 cases were reported, an increase of 685 cases or 37 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.

"The responsibility of keeping these diseases in check rests with everyone as well as the government agencies and NGOs. The Sabah Health Department seeks the cooperation of all to stop the spread of Dengue and Zika," she said.

She said the people could help by seeking out and destroying the breeding grounds of the Aedes mosquito and keeping their houses and surroundings clean and free of stagnant water.

The people must cooperate with the health officers by allowing them to inspect their premises for Aedes breeding grounds and fog their houses, she said.

Dr Christina advised people to seek immediate treatment at hospitals or clinics if they suffered from symptoms of Zika or had visited Zika-infected areas.

Symptoms of Zika infection include fever, body aches, rashes and conjunctivitis.