KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Health Department is still waiting for laboratory test results to confirm the presence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the state.
Sabah Health and People's Wellbeing minister Datuk Frankie Poon said the department had received a notification of a patient from Kampung Lubong in Tambunan, suspected to be infected with JE.
"But we are still waiting for confirmation on the case from the Public Health laboratory in Sungai Buloh.
"Following the notification, the department had also implemented control measures such as case detection, fogging and destroying mosquitoes breeding areas as well as educational talks around the patient's locality," he said in a statement.
Poon added 121 premises were covered in destroying mosquitoes breeding sites and larvaciding.
"The department had also informed state Veterinary Services department about the case so that checks could be made on animals in the village," he said.
JE is caused by the flavivirus that leads to viral encephalitis symptoms which include fever, headache, nausea and vomitting, altered mental status, neurological symptoms, weakness and disturbance to movement.
The virus is spread to human via Culex mosquitoes.
JE is endemic in Asian countries such as India, Thailand, Filipina, Cambodia. Vietnam and Malaysia.
Poon also urged the community to seek medical treatment should they suffer from JE symptoms and use repellent as well as wear bright clothing to reduce the risk from getting bitten by mosquitoes.