GEORGE TOWN, June 27 — One of two Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases reported in Penang involving two children, aged two and eight respectively, is still receiving treatment at the Penang Hospital (HPP).

Penang Health director Dr Asmayani Khalib said the two children were admitted at the HPP for treatment since June 22, and one of them had been discharged.

Thus far no details given pertaining to the victim who is still receiving treatment at HPP.

“The children, from Kampung Badak Mati and Taman Kuang, Sungai Bakap, have been receiving treatment since Monday with one of them has been discharged.

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“The Penang health department has requested the Seberang Perai Selatan district health office to conduct control and preventive steps in the locality since Tuesday, the day after the cases were reported,” she said in a statement today.

Dr Asmayani said 4,068 containers were searched in the area and found 18 of them containing Culex mosquito breeding grounds and were destroyed.

She said the department also conducted fogging operations involving a total of 1,082 premises in the area within a two-kilometre radius of the residence of the two children.

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“Active case-tracing activities are also conducted at the victims’ homes, which included 3,806 residents found with no JE symptoms. The department also issued a ‘JE Alert’ to hospitals and district health offices to improve readiness in detecting new JE cases,” she said.

She said the health department also cooperated with the Penang Veterinary Services Department to eradicate the spread of JEs in the area and thus far three pig farms were found to be located within 1.5 kilometres of the case area.

“Pig samples have also been taken and sent to the laboratory for JE virus detection. Pig farm owners are requested to adhere to good breeding practices to improve farm cleanliness and to be free of mosquito breeding grounds, especially Culex mosquito,” she said.

From January this year until June 25, nine cases including one death due to JE infection were reported in the country, compared to 12 cases and three deaths recorded in the same period last year. — Bernama