A trainee from Road Transport Department academy in Tiang Dua died from a disease. Other 12 were hospitalized in the Malacca Hospital after the outbreak of the disease.
From the 12 hospitalized, 9 are kept in isolation and other 3 are treated under the Intensive Care Unit.
The academy also has 85 other trainees under quarantine.
However, Ghazali Othman, state health director, confirmed that the disease is not the H1N1 influenza virus but rather suspected to be bacterial meningitis.
Primary investigations suspect the trainees contracted the disease during a field trip that involved 300 trainees. They were divided in groups of 100 and sent in a two day trip to Pedas, Muar, and Bukit Katil.
The trainee that died had headache, fever, runny nose, and cough as symptoms of the disease. He passed out on the way to the hosptial.
okay, thanks for the article
Bernama - Monday, May 11
MELAKA, May 10 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has identified the diplococci bacteria to have caused meningitis to trainees of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Academy in Tiang Dua, here, resulting in one death last week.
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Its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that until 2pm today, 20 trainees were warded at Melaka Hospital, comprising two at its intensive-care unit and 18 at the isolation ward.
He said six new patients were warded at the same hospital yesterday evening and one today.
"However, we believe the bacterial infection can be controlled with the preventive and rehabilitative measures taken by Melaka Hospital," he said after visiting the patients at the hospital, here, today.
Also present was Melaka Health director Dr Ghazali Othman.
Liow said the 93 JPJ Academy trainees quarantined were being closely observed by a seven-member special task force headed by a doctor for immediate measures to be taken in an emergency.
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LIOW-MENINGITIS 2 MELAKA
He said the trainees quarantined had been given ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic while those being treated at the hospital were given ceftnaxone to recover from the infection.
"I saw that the patients at the ICU and isolation ward were okay. The antibiotics given seemed to be working and they (patients) would need seven days of treatment before the next step."
He said residents, especially in Tiang Dua, should not panic over the meningitis situation as the infection could only be spread by droplets when the carrier coughed or sneezed within a one-metre range.
"The meningitis bacteria will not cause an uncontrollable epidemic," he assured.
Liow said samples of the diplococci bacteria had been sent to the microbiology laboratory in Sungai Buloh to ascertain the type as the bacteria had different strains.
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LIOW-MENINGITIS 3 (LAST) MELAKA
"We are also investigating the source of the bacteria by obtaining samples from where the trainees had their practical training, namely in Pedas (Negeri Sembilan), Muar (Johor) and Bukit Katil (Melaka)."
He said all trainees and staff of the JPJ Academy in Tiang Dua were given antibiotics to control the spread of the meningitis bacterial infection.
"I also hope that the public do not speculate on the meningitis infection which has no connection with the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic," he added.
A sad case