PENANG, 15 May 2009: A Myanmar illegal immigrant has died and 26 others are under treatment in two hospitals here after having contracted Leptospirosis.
The disease is transmitted to humans when water that has been contaminated by animal urine comes in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, eyes or with the mucous membranes.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairperson Phee Boon Poh said the 21-year-old man died on 12 May at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital near here.
“The man was treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital since 7 May after he had fever and fatigue,” he said.
He said 24 of the others were being treated at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital and the remaining two at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
“All of them were detained at the illegal immigrants detention centre in Juru and were admitted to hospital in stages from 7 May after suffering from symptoms of the disease,” he said. — Bernama
