Health dept notifies three camps after leptospirosis scare

IPOH – The Perak health department has asked three national service (NS) training camps to stop their water activities after samples taken from pools nearby tested positive for the leptospirosis bacteria.

The department had carried out random samplings and checks at various water sources in the state, including pools and waterfalls, and decided that it was not safe to have water activities at the Nilam Ehsan camp (in Bidor), Taman Kepimpinan Gemilang (Gopeng) and and Desa Rimba (Kuala Kangsar).

“All water activities will be suspended until further notice,” state Health committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon told reporters after attending a public talk on leptospirosis at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here yesterday.

So far, no NS trainee or camp personnel have come down with the infection commonly called rat urine disease.

The camps, said Dr Mah, would carry out other activities as normal.

Up to June, 170 cases of leptospirosis have been recorded, with 13 deaths, compared to 280 cases with 19 deaths last year.

“It is hard to get actual data on the disease as it does not show any abnormal symptoms,” he said.

”A common symptom is fever and a patient can recover in a few days after treatment,” he added.

Dr Mah said it was not a new disease but had caught public attention because of the widespread media coverage of recent deaths in Pahang.

Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr Ker Hoong Bee said leptospirosis was only spread by animals carrying the spirochete bacterium.

“Any freshwater source or soil contaminated by these infected animals’ urine can infect humans who have open wounds or minor skin injuries, like an abrasion.

Dr Ker said the bacterium carrying the disease is sensitive to disinfectant.

“Chlorine in swimming pools, for instance, will likely kill the bacterium,” she said.


Source: The Star