GUA MUSANG, June 9 — Another Orang Asli villager in Kampung Kuala Koh here who showed symptoms of lung infection died this morning, bringing the death toll due to the same disease to three. 

The victim was receiving treatment at the Kuala Krai Hospital (HKK) the past few days but was transferred to the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZII), Kota Bharu when the condition became critical. 

The victim is believed to have utilised hill flow water that is alleged to be polluted. 

However, the hospital has not made available details on the individual, like gender or age. 

District police chief Supt Mohd Taufik Maidin confirmed the latest death toll due to the outbreak.

Locals had claimed that 13 people had died there since early May due to a "mystery illness”. 

Mohd Taufik denied the claim saying police investigations had not found graves to support it. 

"We hope the villagers in Kampung Kuala Koh will constantly keep in touch with the police especially in reporting deaths to facilitate investigations.” he said. 

He added that based on the latest update, 119 villagers were brought out for treatment and six who were critical were sent to HKK. 

"Of the number, 19 are still receiving treatment at the Gua Musang Hospital while four victims are placed at the Gua Musang Orang Asli transit clinic,” he said. 

On the two earlier deaths, he confirmed that the two victims also died of lung infection.

Meanwhile, Paloh assemblyman Amran Ariffin urged the authorities to get to the bottom of the matter. 

He said that it was feared that the contamination came from an iron ore mine nearby.

"We hope this outbreak will be contained soon to prevent more villagers from becoming victims,” he told Bernama after visiting victims being treated at HGM. 

Mohd Fazdzli Mahmok, a religious teacher to the Orang Asli community there, complained about the slow response by the authorities despite the problem having surfaced in early May.

It was only after there were deaths and the problem caught media attention that  the authorities stepped up response, he said. — Bernama