Orang Asli Teenage Girl Succumbs To Leprosy In Kuala Pilah

SEREMBAN, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- An 18-year-old Orang Asli girl was confirned dead on Monday after having a fever for a week after being infected with leprosy following an outbreak, while eight other residents in Kampung Orang Asli Chergun and Guntur, Kuala Pilah are still undergoing treatment.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the State Health Department began detecting the spread of the outbreak since Jan 2, after nine Orang Asli residents in the area were infected with the disease.

"The nine are five Orang Asli residents from Chergun and four from Guntur. One of the patients from Chergun namely Shynaiza Hamzah, 18, was confirmed dead at home after having a week-long fever, whereas the others have been quarantined in their respective home," he said after chairing an exco meeting at Wisma Negeri here today.

He said as a precautionary measure, the District Health Office implemented a quarantine in the villages, including closing the Jeram Tengkek recreation centre, to prevent the spread of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, senior state exco Datuk Jalaluddin Alias said the Ministry of Health (MOH) has conducted screenings for about 65 per cent of the residents in the two villages as of Jan 22.

"On Feb 15, the MOH conducted further screenings for those who had not yet undergone the screening, especially the residents of Kampung Orang Asli Chergun, while on Feb 22, another screening will be held in the Kampung Orang Asli Guntur," he said.

Jaluluddin also said that all food supplies as well as necessities for the residents of both these villages will be managed by the local representative and the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) of the respective villages.

-- BERNAMA