Health Ministry confirms three diphtheria cases in JB

A photomicrograph of the corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria, stained using the methylene blue technique.

PETALING JAYA: Three children who live in the same house as the two-year-old toddler in Johor Baru believed to have died from diphtheria on Feb 21, have tested positive for the disease, says the Health Ministry.

"As of March 2, three diphtheria cases were confirmed. One of them was the four-year-old sister of the deceased who lives in the same house.

"A four-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl who live in the same house, also tested positive for the disease," it said in a statement on Sunday (March 3).

The ministry said the three children were treated for the disease, and one has since been allowed to return home.

"Ten other children with symptoms and living in the same house were treated and confirmed not to be diphtheria cases," the statement added.

Apart from this, the ministry noted that eight other people living in the same house with the deceased did not show any symptoms but were treated with antibiotics as a preventive measure.

The ministry said that those treated will be monitored daily at the Johor Baru District Health Office for 14 days, adding that no new cases have been reported.

The death of the toddler, who was not immunised against the disease, saw debate erupt on whether immunisation should be made mandatory, prompting Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad to announce on Feb 23 that a law may be tabled in Parliament to make it compulsory.

Misinformation about vaccination has led to a huge jump in the number of vaccine-preventable diseases, with cases of measles jumping over 10-fold from 125 in 2013 to 1,467 last year.

A lack of immunisation was detected last year in all six measles deaths recorded and in 19 of the 22 deaths from whooping cough (pertussis).

There were five fatal diphtheria cases last year involving children below 10.

Diphtheria is caused by an infection by the corynebacterium diphtheria bacteria, and symptoms range from fever with sore throat, a thick covering in the back of the throat and swollen tonsils.

The disease can lead to organ failure as well as blood and heart infections, resulting in death.