Three UPM students warded for suspected meningitis
Three new cases of suspected meningitis among Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) students have been referred to the Kajang Hospital, including one who was admitted this afternoon.
Disclosing this today, the university's assistant chief medical officer Dr Fauziah Adnan said that the three — Abdel Aziz Esa Bakar (architecture and design faculty), Chin Wai Hoe (agriculture faculty) and Yap Siew Er (science and environmental studies faculty) — were warded for observation.
This development comes less than two weeks after the deaths of two UPM students on June 27 and 29.
Malaysiakini reported yesterday that 600 students were screened following the two deaths. Clarifying the internal mix-up in the figures, Fauziah said the recorded figure was actually 458 students.
"We have screened them for meningitis since July 1, and it is still on for those who come in with similar symptoms," she told reporters.
Loy Cheah Kee and D Thiyagarajan, both 23, had died of meningitis, an infectious disease which affects the brain and spinal cord, in their rented homes in Taman Bukit Serdang and Taman Balakong Jaya respectively, located about 15 minutes' drive from the campus.
Another four students, including two of Loy's housemates, were admitted to the Kajang Hospital for observation but were discharged a few days later.
Eight admitted since July 1
Fauziah said a total of eight undergraduates have been admitted since early this month after displaying similar meningitis symptoms, which is fever, coughing, sore throat and intense headache.
She assured that precautionary measures have been taken on campus and that the Health Ministry is investigating the source of the disease.
"There is no panic. Students are visiting the health centre asking for more information about the disease and its symptoms," she added.
Following the two fatal cases, two notices were posted at the agriculture and computer science faculties, urging the students to undergo screening. Thiyagarajan and Loy were studying at these two faculties.
Asked if the university has issued similar notices to students at all the other faculties, Fauziah said there was no need to take such action yet.
"There are 30,000 students in UPM. We do not want to create a panic."
However, she advised students who experienced such symptoms to seek treatment at the health centre immediately.
Fauziah also explained that the bacteria does not infect everyone automatically, but only those who are susceptible to it, such as people with a weak immune system.
"The bacteria is always present in our bodies but is usually not triggered unless the immune system is down."
Not alarmed, not aware
A visit by malaysiakini to the UPM campus today revealed that most of the students were not really alarmed by the incident. Many were not even aware of the two fatal cases.
When interviewed, some said they had only heard of the rumours surrounding the incident but could not get any confirmation from the university administration.
Among the 'colourful' gossips bandied around the campus are that the deaths were caused by the deadly Japanese Encephalitis virus, a road accident and that the two victims had been kidnapped and killed.
Another student from the agriculture faculty said she heard that they had died of food poisoning, while a third said he was not really alarmed because "these were mere rumours".
"We don't have time for such unpleasant things. There are other matters in our minds right now," replied two senior chemistry undergraduates when asked why they did not bother getting screened for meningitis.
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