IPOH: The Health Ministry (MoH) has confirmed seven deaths involving malaria infection from Jan 2 to July 9 this year.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said of the total, six cases were zoonotic malaria infections, while one case involved imported human malaria infection.
"For zoonotic malaria deaths, two cases were reported in Terengganu and Sabah each, with one case each in Sarawak and Pahang. One case of death involving local human malaria was in Johor," he said.
Dr Noor Azmi said this after officiating the national-level World Malaria Day 2022 at the Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout here, today.
He added that a total of 1,447 cases of malaria were recorded in the same period, involving 1,311 cases of zoonotic malaria and 136 of locally infected human malaria.
"I was informed that the cases of infection are still under control, but we should be vigilant and need to ensure that preventive measures are taken to stop the increase," he said.
In a related development, Dr Noor Azmi said the ministry recommended that industry players in the plantation, mining and construction sectors conduct health checks, including malaria screening, on their foreign workers.
He added that this is because they were among those who were vulnerable and at risk of contracting malaria, based on research and studies.
"Foreign workers should undergo health check-ups, including malaria screening, according to the policy set by the government. Employers are also responsible for supplying medicated mosquito nets to protect their workers from mosquito bites. For employees who suffer from malaria symptoms, they need to undergo an examination at a nearby clinic," he said.
Commenting on today's programme, he said that it was held to raise awareness and to convey a message to the community that malaria was a public health problem that needed serious attention. — Bernama