Villagers hit by Hepatitis A

KUALA BERANG: The illness affecting people in three villages here has been identified as Hepatitis A or the infectious jaundice.

The state Health Department believed that it was caused by the people in Kampung Basong, Kampung Pasir Dula and Kampung Setebu drinking contaminated water from Sungai Kecur through a gravity feed pipe system.

State Health, Unity and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Dr Abdul Rahman Mokhtar said it was the second outbreak of Hepatitis A in Hulu Terengganu with 42 cases recorded between Nov 2 and 13.

The first outbreak was in Kampung Sungai Berua in September.

"Rumours of about 35 cases of leptospirosis in Kampung Sungai Berua in September were inaccurate. Actually only six were diagnosed with leptospirosis while the rest had Hepatitis A," he said after visiting the victims at Hulu Terengganu Hospital (HHT) yesterday.

He said the current outbreak was detected by health officers who visited the villages after 10 people were admitted to HHT this month.

"The officers also got another 32 people found to have the same symptoms during their rounds in the villages, admitted to the hospital."

The disease has reached epidemic level in Kampung Basong and Kampung Pasir Dula, but only one case was detected in Kampung Setebu.

"We have placed a mobile clinic in Kampung Pasir Dula to monitor the situation and have treated the water from Sungai Kecur with chlorine to get rid of any water-borne pathogens."

Kampung Basong is the biggest village with a population of 617, while Kampung Pasir Dula has 391 and Kampung Setebu 95.

"A 24-hour operation centre has been set up at HHT and another one at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Kuala Terengganu to coordinate efforts to stamp out the epidemic."

He said the source of contamination was believed to be a hut near the river.

Source: NSTs