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WHAT IS TB?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB primarily affects the lungs, but it can also affect organs in the central nervous system, lymphatic system, and circulatory system among others. The disease was called “consumption” in the past because of the way it would consume from within anyone who became infected.

TB is a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia. Each year the disease kills almost 2 million people. The disease is also prevalent among people with HIV/AIDS.

What Is Tuberculosis? – Medical News Today

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IS THIS TRUE?

THE STATISTICS FOR TB
2010: Approximately 18,000 cases reported
2011: 20,000
Deaths recorded: 1,600 (2011?)

The influx of foreign workers is among the major reason for the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the country.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya said that out of 30,000 foreign workers who had been brought into the country, 20,000 had failed the health screening carried out by his ministry.

Dr Hilmi also said that there were foreign workers who had passed the health screening carried out in the country of their origin but failed the test here. Most of these workers were from Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and the Philippines.

He said foreign workers who failed the health screening here would be repatriated home. – Bernama, December 29, 2013.

Malaysian Insider
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/migrant-workers-likely-cause-for-rising-number-of-tb-cases-among-locals-say

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Kinabalu Today

Sabah still has, the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Malaysia.
2011: 4,426 cases or 19% reported
2012: 3,794 cases or 18% detected

3,794 TB cases detected in Sabah – Kota Kinabalu Today News

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IF IT IS A RUMOUR, EXPECT THE PERPETRATOR OF THE RUMOUR TO BE TRACKED DOWN.

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Like This Page · April 1, 2012

Jalan Sulaman, 88400 Kota Kinabalu

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State Health Director, Dr Christina Rundi, said that although there have been TB cases identified in the area mentioned, the Health Department had yet to confirm the source of the infection.

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Borneo Post Online

Probe on TB at hypermall rumour

by Amy Dangin. Posted on December 4, 2013, Wednesday

The text message that was widely circulated via Whatsapp and other social networks.

KOTA KINABALU: Several people have received a message ‘advising’ them to avoid one of the city’s most prominent hypermalls due to the alleged spread of tuberculosis (TB).

The ‘copy-and-paste’ text message claimed that there had been several staff and students working or studying within the premises contracting the disease, said to have orginated from the settlements near the hypermall.

State Health Director, Dr Christina Rundi when contacted for comments advised the public not to simply believe in rumours, as there had yet to be any confirmation on the matter.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/12/04/probe-on-tb-at-hypermall-rumour/#ixzz2mwt6jDVY

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Free Malaysia Today

Virus TB tersebar di 1Borneo Hypermall?

Tujuh orang berkenaan kini sedang dirawat dan dikuathiri lebih ramai pekerja di 1Borneo sudahpun dijangkiti memandangkan virus TB yang mudah menular dari manusia ke manusia menerusi udara dan kesan lendir pernafasan pembawa.

KOTA KINABALU : Kompleks membeli-belah terbesar dan popular di Sabah, 1Borneo Hypermall, kini disyaki sebagai tempat penularan virus tuberkulosis atau TB berikutan pengenalpastian tujuh orang pekerja di situ sebagai pembawa virus tersebut beberapa hari lepas.

Tujuh orang berkenaan kini sedang dirawat dan dikuathiri lebih ramai pekerja di 1Borneo sudahpun dijangkiti memandangkan virus TB yang mudah menular dari manusia ke manusia menerusi udara dan kesan lendir pernafasan pembawa.
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Siasatan FMT mendapati Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Sabah telah menghubungi pengurusan kompleks membeli-belah berkenaan minggu lalu untuk membuat saringan terhadap seberapa ramai pekerja yang sentiasa berstesen di 1Borneo.

Bagaimanapun, difahamkan pihak pengurusan 1Borneo dikatakan kurang bersetuju dengan cadangan pihak kesihatan itu, mungkin bimbang ia akan memberi isyarat negatif kepada orang ramai untuk mengelak berkunjung membeli-belah, lebih-lebih lagi ketika musim cuti sekolah dan perayaan Krismas yang tidak lama lagi.

For the full article, click on:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/09/1borneo-hypermall-disyaki-sebar-tb/

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Free Malaysia Today

Tuberculosis makes a comeback in Sabah

Illegal immigrants in Sabah are being blamed for the fast spreading tuberculosis disease which was once almost eradicated.

KOTA KINABALU: The uncontrolled influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah has spawned a lethal infectious disease, once thought to have been almost eradicated.

Tuberculosis, more commonly known as TB, is killing people on a weekly basis in Sabah and the spread of the disease is being pinned on the immigrants who have been pouring over its borders for years.

According to the health authorities here, Sabah is the most afflicted state in the country with at least four people dying weekly from the dreaded disease.

That works out to about 200 deaths every year from the disease that was once thought to have been almost eradicated in Sabah.

The State Health Department said an average of 10 people are diagnosed with TB in Sabah every week and most of them are foreigners.

“Kota Kinabalu ranks the highest, followed by Tawau and Sandakan,” Sabah Health Department assistant director (TB/Leprosy), Dr Richard Avoi told a health care seminar here over the weekend.

The spread of TB, he said, is known to be closely associated with poverty, overcrowding, alcoholism, malnutrition and drug abuse.
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All Sabah’s major towns are fertile grounds for the disease. They all have a large population of poor, illegal immigrants from the southern Philippines and Indonesia living in shanty towns that have mushroomed in the state.
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http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/05/18/tuberculosis-makes-a-comeback-in-sabah/

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