By Norrasyidah Arshad
KUALA SELANGOR, Jan 4 — The Health Ministry (MOH) detected 327 positive samples of the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) throughout last year, an increase compared to 225 cases reported in 2023.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the virus is a common cold and often occurs, particularly during cold weather.
"As of the first few days of this year, no cases have been reported. This is not a new disease, and it is not mandatory to report or notify it under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
"It is a respiratory tract infection caused by a virus from the Pneumoviridae family," he said after visiting flood victims at Taman Seri Alam in Saujana Utama today.
Dr Dzulkefly added that the MOH continues to monitor such infections, and advises the public to maintain hygiene by frequently washing hands and covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
He also recommended that high-risk individuals and those with symptoms wear face masks, especially in enclosed or crowded spaces, and seek medical attention promptly if symptoms persist.
"The MOH, particularly through the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre, is actively communicating with the World Health Organisation.
"The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention of China have also confirmed that no emergency declarations related to hMPV have been made," Dr Dzulkefly said.
Meanwhile, the Kuala Selangor MP also advised Taman Seri Alam's residents to clean the drains in their neighbourhoods to prevent water stagnation and lead to potential Aedes mosquitoes breeding, after being affected by a flash flood last week.
Doing so is essential to prevent dengue outbreaks, which could pose serious public health risks.
“We want to ensure there is no dengue fever, as this disease often occurs after floods due to the many stagnant water pools that become mosquito breeding grounds.
“This includes drains and flower pots. They must be kept clean to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Developers of retention ponds must also maintain their construction sites,” he said.
On Sunday (December 29), a retention bund near Taman Seri Alam burst, causing water to overflow into the surrounding residential area. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Kuala Selangor Municipal Council Zone 23 councillor Maisarah Ismail said that a similar incident occurred in 2015, but Sunday's incident was comparatively more severe, leading to significant losses.
[caption id="attachment_385238" align="aligncenter" width="1262"]
A view of the damaged retention bund adjacent to Taman Seri Alam, Saujana Utama, which collapsed on December 29, 2024. — Picture via FACEBOOK/DATO’ DR HALIM TAMURI[/caption]
