Health DG issues hygiene precaution to staff following diphtheria cases

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has urged all its staff to practise extra care when dealing with patients, after two of them were diagnosed with diphtheria in the past three days.
Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said between July 18 and 21, there had been nine new confirmed diphtheria cases reported nationwide, with two of them being Klinik Kesihatan Rembau staff, after having contact with a similarly diagnosed patient there.
"I am urging all medical staff to always practise extra hygiene, including wearing protective equipment such as face mask and always washing your hands after treating a patient.
"As for the public with symptoms of respiratory infections, please also wear face mask to avoid spreading bacteria and virus through respiratory secretions," he said in a statement today.
He also advised those with symptoms to get immediate medical checkup, while also avoiding public areas.
Noor Hisham said the latest confirmed cases have brought the total number of diagnosed diphtheria patients to 24, including five deaths, since the start of June.