Pos Kemar in Gerik declared malaria-free

GERIK: Pos Kemar, an Orang Asli settlement, near here, has been declared free of malaria, according to Perak Health acting director Datuk Dr Rahimi Goon.
He said the last epidemic positive case was detected on Dec 21 and now only one patient was still being treated at Gerik Hospital.
"The patient has recovered with no complications but is required to undergo treatment for another 14 days," he said when met after a visit by State Rural Development, Agriculture, Plantations, Information and Human Capital Development Committee chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad (pix), here, today.
Malaria from the Plasmodium vivax (P.vivax) species was first detected in Pos Kemar on Nov 16 involving three residents of Kampung Senangit.
Dr Rahimi said since the case was discovered, 137 people had been warded at Gerik and Kuala Kangsar hospitals for malaria from a total of 4,189 Pos Kemar residents examined.
He said the department had conducted malaria screening including taking blood samples from nine villages at the settlement to ensure the oubreak did not recur.
"The last samples taken two days ago had been been sent for laboratory testing and the results are still pending," he said.
When asked to comment on a report by a pay television station which stated that the Perak Health Department did not take any action, Dr Rahimi said the statement was inaccurate.
"Much have been done including control on breeding of larvae and fogging from house to house, enabling malaria to be brought under control within a month," he said.
Saarani, who is in charge of the Orang Asli community in Perak, commended the efficiency of the Health Department in curbing malaria at Pos Kemar from spreading to other settlements such as Pos Banun and Pos Dala located here.
He added that all Pos Kemar residents who were infected with malaria were given individually packed food compared to family packs earlier.
During the visit today, Saarani presented 140 packets of food to residents of Kampung Senangit. — Bernama