Health director of Ministry of Health Dr Mohd Ismail Merican assured the public that both leptospirosis and melioidiosis are not contagious and could not be spread by human contact.
He is referring the recent fatal cases in Pahang where six villagers died of leptospirosis and melioidiosis after joining a rescue team in search of drowning victims at Lubuk Yu, Maran.
Mohd Ismail said the infection was caused by exposure to contaminated water or earth.
He confirmed that the water sample withdrawn from the rescuers’ camp was found to contain the bacteria.
“Six villagers from a nearby village were found to contracted fever in a random inspection. All of them were admitted to hospital but they are less likely to have infected by the diseases,” he said.
The rescue team comprising 56 rescue personnel and 27 villagers were involved in an operation to search a drowning victim Mohd Azhar Azizam between June 26 to 30.
Six among them later fell ill and passed away between July 3 to July 8.
The Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water made reassurances that the water supply from the Ulu Jempol and Jengka Water Treatment Plants is safe for consumption.
Navin Kumar Perianen
Sashidaran Gunathevan
Maran Perianen
