Mystery Illness Claims 12 Lives in Malaysia: Probe Underway

Mystery illness kills around 12 people in Malaysia, and death investigation is underway. Finding out the cause of death as soon as possible could save many lives.

Malaysian authorities are trying to find the cause of death of a dozen indigenous people in an isolated village in the Kelantan state.

‘Mystery illness kills nearly 12 people in Malaysia. Malaysian authorities are investigating deeper to find out the cause of death.’

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said authorities were trying to locate the graves of 12 of the 14 indigenous people of the Batek tribe who had died last month. Of these, two deaths were due to pneumonia.

He said exhuming bodies for post-mortem was vital to determine the actual cause of death and whether the mystery illness had infected others in the village as well, state news agency Bernama reported.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P. Waytha Moorthy on Sunday confirmed 14 deaths. A total of 83 inhabitants of the village were being treated, with 46 of them in hospitals, he added.

Reports of the deaths had surfaced last week, when the head of the village, where the indigenous tribe lived, claimed that mining had contaminated the water source, which were leading to illness and death.

Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in a statement warned that the government would punish the company, found to had contaminated the source of drinking water used by the indigenous people.

Malaysia has 18 officially recognized indigenous tribes with the Batek tribe being one the smallest group with less than 2,000 population.

Source: IANS