Malaysian health officials are doing the best they can to counter the ongoing meningitis scare in the country, said a World Health Organisation representative today.

"They are already doing what they should be doing and there is nothing else they can do," WHO representative in Malaysia, Dr Susantha de Silva, told malaysiakini .

"There have been only a few cases and it is not a major problem," he said, adding that the meningitis cases in Malaysia were isolated and had not reached epidemic levels yet unlike other countries.

"The Health Ministry is already watching the situation very closely and is asking various institutions to alert it should any more cases occur. It is already doing what it should do and we are satisfied," de Silva said.

In a statement yesterday, DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang criticised the Health Ministry for not initiating a nation-wide alert sooner to warn people about the meningitis threat.

Two primary school pupils in Kuching, Sarawak, died in March. More recently, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) student D Thiyagarajan died on June 29.

Last Friday, a mass communication student from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Kasnita Mohd Kassim died of meningoencephalitis or brain inflamation which is a meningitis variant.

Another UPM student, Loy Cheah Kee, also died after suffering from the same symptoms. However, Loy's body was released for burial before an autopsy testing for the disease could be conducted.

Enough vaccine supply

De Silva also said Malaysia carries enough of the meningitis vaccine Prophylaxis. He saw no need for extra supply to be brought in.

"At the moment there is no need to do that as it is not necessary and there is no need to make a fuss about this," de Silva said.

Asked why the two students had died when it could have been cured easily, De Silva said it could have been due to the perception that the students were only suffering from a fever or a cold, which have similar symptoms as meningitis.

"Meningitis is not common here and doctors would not think of it. The students had probably come in too late for treatment but health officials will now be watching out for those symptoms," De Silva said.

Symptoms of meningitis include coughs, fever, severe headaches, nausea, stiff neck, vomiting and loss of consciousness.

Vomiting and loss of consciousness are signs of the advanced stage of infection, leading to death.

Hard to pinpoint

Meanwhile, an infectious diseases control expert also said it will not be easy for public health officials to define and pinpoint the source of the disease as well as possible carriers.

"It is hard for public health officials to define who are the ones affected in the masses unless you know those who have come into close contact with those infected," said Prof Dr Ngeow Yun Foong of the Disease Control department of the University Malaya Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

People who could be identified to the carrier would be immediately given prophylaxis but acquaintances who have come into close contact with the infected individual would be hard to locate.

"This matter should be taken seriously," Ngeow added.