KUALA LUMPUR: Another 86 Covid-19 cases have been detected among flood victims as of noon today, raising the toll to 267.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the cases, 75 were identified during the pre-admission screening and 11 have already been put under quarantine before seeking shelter at temporary relief centres (PPS).
"As of now, there are new positive cases reported among flood victims who are at the PPS.
"All the 86 cases detected today have been isolated from other flood victims. Three were quarantined at home, nine were placed at the MAEPS quarantine and treatment centre, 12 at hospitals and 62 at PPS," he said in a statement today.
Presently, a total of 71,320 flood victims are seeking shelter at 456 PPS nationwide.
Dr Noor Hisham said apart from Covid-19, the flood could also increase the risk for other infectious diseases such as food poisoning (acute gastroenteritis or AGE, typhoid and cholera) hand foot mouth disease (HFMD), leptospirosis, acute respiratory infections (ARI), skin diseases and dengue.
Infectious disease cases involving flood victims reported to the national flood operation centres to date are ARI (203), skin diseases (73), AGE (19), fever (12), chickenpox (two) and 55 others.
"However, no case of conjunctivitis, typhoid, cholera, HFMD, leptospirosis, and dengue have been reported so far."
He urged medical personnel at all health facilities including private health facilities to be more alert to symptoms of diseases associated with flood.
"In addition to mobilising medical personnel to PPS, the Health Ministry also inspect drinking water and food supply, vector control and conduct health education activities at PPS to reduce the risk of flood related infectious diseases," he said.
He said the Ministry would always monitor the situation from time and time and carry out control and prevention activities to curb flood related infectious diseases particularly Covid-19.