PUTATAN : Two cases of death have been reported in Putatan due to leptospirosis, a fatal disease caused by rat urine this year, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin.
He said one of the cases was reported in Petagas area.
Yahya, who is also Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, said statistics from the Ministry of Health Malaysia showed that reported cases of the disease had increased from 2,268 in 2011 to 3,665 cases in 2012 .
“Meanwhile, until June 1, 2013 statistics show that there were 1,768 cases with 18 deaths reported nationwide,” he said at the launch of a community project at Kampung Sekambu, Petagas yesterday.
Yahya, who is also Petagas assemblyman, said leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that spreads from animals such as mice to humans .
“At this time, we are not only exposed to leptospirosis, but many more other diseases such as dengue, tuberculosis, cholera and so on. Thus, we need to take preventative measures from within our own homes,” he said.
He reminded the people to take preventive measures such as to refrain from dumping rubbish indiscriminately till their house premises becomes a breeding ground for all kinds of diseases.
He said people should also ensure that what they eat is safe and hygienic. Besides that, all food must be washed and fully cooked before consumption.
According to him, any type of food should be eaten within four hours after cooking.
He said all cooked food should be covered, while leftovers should not be thrown everywhere so as not to attract disease-bearing animals such as flies, rodents and cockroaches.
Meanwhile, Yahya also urged the Putatan District Office to immediately set up a Special Committee to address the problem of rubbish dumping along the bank of Petagas River.
He suggested that the members of the special committee include office bearers from the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) and to engage residents in a dialogue to find the best way to address the problem of garbage disposal along the river bank.