Malaysia on alert for disease as floods return
Source : www.ericsoo.com - Sri Gading, Batu Pahat 13-1-2007)
Two people have died from leptospirosis, which is caused by exposure to water contaminated with the urine of animals such as rats, bringing the death toll from the worst floods in 37 years to 15, officials said. The other 13 deaths were due to drowning.
Health deputy director-general Ramlee Rahmat urged the public not to play in dirty flood water and wear clothes that covered their bodies to prevent them from becoming infected.
"But we are more concerned about food and water-borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera because those can spread fast. We are monitoring the situation," Ramlee told Reuters on Sunday.
Meanwhile, flood victims in the state should be on the lookout for signs of a bacterial disease that could be brought on by exposure to rat urine.
Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the disease, leptospirosis, could be spread through the urine of infected rodents mixed in floodwaters,
Leptospirosis is usually caused by exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals such as rodents, dogs and cattle.
He said it could be easily contracted by those with wounds on their bodies, noting that two deaths had been reported here on Jan 6 and 8.
The latest floods cut off several towns in the southern state of Johor, which is a major oil palm and rubber growing region, and shut down power and water supplies. Johor is just across a narrow strait from Singapore, which has also been hit by days of heavy rain.
Many of the victims had just returned to their homes when they were forced to move back to the evacuation centres.
"We had just finished cleaning up our house a few days ago and were resting when the floods came back. Now we have to start all over again," said 36-year-old Rosli Othman, a resident in Kluang, one of the worst-hit areas in Johor.
"The flooding could get worse as it's still raining here," said the father of five.
The Meteorological Department said rains in many parts of the state were expected to continue at least until Monday.
The damage bill from last month's floods, which displaced more than 100,000 people, was estimated at more than 100 million ringgit ($28 million).
More than 92,500 people were forced to leave their homes by Sunday due to worsening floods in Johor state in southern Malaysia, the official Bernama news agency reported.
Excessive rainfall for the past few weeks caused one of the century's worst flooding in the state, costing more than 80 million ringgit (18.2 million dollars) in losses.
Over the weekend, the floods caused landslides and major damage to roads as water levels were reported to reach more than 1-metre high in most areas.
The Johor region was first hit by the floods last month, when some 90,000 people were evacuated.
The flood victims had just begun returning to their homes when the state was hit by the second wave of floods.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi aid a state of emergency would be declared if the situation continued to worsen.
"The government already has in place an operation manual when facing this kind of situation," he told reporters.
A total of 17 people have been killed by the inundations. The country's Meteorological Department warned that the heavy rain, brought on by the monsoon season, would continue till next week.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, attending the Asean summit in the Philippines, is following closely the flood situation in Johor, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said Sunday.
He said he had given a report to the prime minister on the situation in the state, especially Kota Tinggi, after the second wave of floods hit the state in less than a month.
Syed Hamid spoke to reporters during a visit today to the flood relief centre at the Kota Kecil Multipurpose Hall. He had returned to Malaysia last night from Cebu City in the Philippines where he attended the 12th Asean Summit.
"The prime minister has pledged to return quickly from the Asean summit in Cebu City to visit the affected areas," he said.
Syed Hamid, who is the Member of Parliament for Kota Tinggi, said the federal government would continue to provide the necessary aid to the flood victims.
"The Johor government and the federal government will work together closely to ensure that food and other essential items are constantly supplied to the flood victims," he said.
Syed Hamid praised the flood victims for their patience in facing the second wave of floods, saying that they were better prepared and understood what had to be done when the floodwaters started rising.
"The pooling of resources to manage the flood victims also went on smoothly, similar to the aid and rescue efforts," he said.
The second wave of floods is worse than the first, with 101,136 people having been evacuated in Johor up to this evening.
In the Kota Tinggi district alone, 13,329 people have moved out of their homes to relief centres.
BBC reported the second wave of flooding has forced authorities in Malaysia to evacuate more than 90,000 people from their homes in the southern state of Johor.
Major rivers have burst their banks cutting off a number of towns.
One town was completely submerged, with only rooftops standing above water in some areas, local media reported.
The new floods come as many were returning home from shelters following the first round of flooding in December that killed at least 17 people.
Heavy rains have deluged Johor, the state that borders Singapore, for four days and forecasts show no sign of it easing.
Some 355 relief centres have been set up on higher ground to shelter the huge number of displaced people.
There are unconfirmed reports of two deaths among flood evacuees from leptospirosis, a water-borne disease that is spread through rat, dog and cattle urine.
The government is reported to be mobilising teams from across the country to establish medical units at all the relief centres in an attempt to try to avert a health crisis.
Thousands of people were already living in shelters in Johor following the first round of flooding which struck in late December.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said late on Friday that a state of emergency may be declared if the floods worsen. He said the government would closely monitor the situation.
Volunteers nationwide are needed to help victims as the second wave of floods claimed another life in Sabah and “Red Alerts,” the highest danger warnings, were issued to Johor and south-eastern Pahang.
“We (the Government) have already deployed our people to the relief centres but it is still not enough.
“We need more people,” said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, as the number of people evacuated from their homes rose to about 75,000 in Johor, 2,000 in Sabah and 1,000 in Pahang.
The Malaysian Red Crescent Society has appealed to employers to allow their staff to take leave to do disaster relief work.
The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) is appealing to general public including private sectors, corporate, organisations for generous contributions towards the Malaysian Red Crescent Relief Fund set up to provide financial and relief assistance to people affected by the recent flood.
All cash contributions are tax-exempted and are to be made payable to:
"Malaysian Red Crescent Society" or Maybank A/C No - 5144 2210 3788 or call Tel: +603 - 4257 8726, Fax: +603 - 4257 3537 (Operations Room) for details.
Those who would like to have tax-exemption receipt must fax in your bank-in slip and details (name, address and contact no) to the fax stated.
MRCS is also appealing for items that will be distributed to the various relief centres as follows:
Perishable Food
Rice, Instant Noodle and Milk - Infant Formula and Adult
Can Food
Chicken/Mutton/Beef, Vegetables, Sardines, Sugar, Coffee/Tea (Dust), Biscuits, Salt, Cooking Oil, Mineral Water
Non Perishable Food
Sanitary Pads, Pampers, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Towels, Soap, Detergent, Dettol, Slippers, Rubbish Bag
Medicines
Metronidazole, C.Penicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Anti-emetic - Metaclopramide, Antidiarrhoeal - Lomotil, Paracetomol tablets/suppository, Voltaran suppository and Antibiotic eye drops.
School Items
School Bags, Uniform, Books, Stationaries and Bicycles.
Malaysia flood help Johor
Labels: Malaysia news
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