TB casts its long shadow again

Health Department responding to detection of TB cases in statutory body, training centre raised by state assemblyman

Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan

BP_20160518_001 KUCHING: The state Health Department has detected several tuberculosis (TB) cases in a government statutory body and a skills training institution here.

Its director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan said the first TB case was detected among one of the staff of a statutory body on Nov 24, last year, followed by the second one on March 14, this year.

“Disease control activities that were carried out by Health Department in response to these two cases have resulted in additional four more cases detected. No fatality was reported among the cases. All are currently under treatment,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Dr Zulkifli said the only TB case in the skills training institution that was diagnosed on March 11 was not related to the cases in the statutory body.

He said that as of yesterday, multiple control activities had been carried out in the statutory body.

“A total of 143 out of 198 staff from the same department had been screened for tuberculosis. All family members and close contacts of the six confirmed cases have been screened. So far, cases are confined within the same department.

“No other cases are linked to the current cluster of cases in the statutory body.”

Dr Zulkifli said that as of May 14, 152 cases were reported in Kuching with an average of eight cases per week, compared to the same period last year with 168 cases.

“As a whole, total number of cases reported in Sarawak as of May 14, 2016 is 900 compared to 897 cases in the same period last year.”

TB is endemic in the state and community transmission of the infectious disease is common.

“Members of the public having prolonged cough with low grade fever and blood stained sputum are advised to seek treatment at the nearest clinic.”

Dr Zulkifli said public awareness activities and screening of contacts were the state Health Department’s standard operating procedures in dealing with TB cases.

He was responding to a statement by Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How who urged the Health Ministry to reveal the seriousness of TB in the city and surrounding areas.

See, who is state PKR vice-chairman, also wanted the ministry to implement measures to control the infectious disease.

He made the call after receiving reports of TB cases in several parts of the city and the vicinity, including the office of a statutory body and a skills training institution.