Other than the unusual infection of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, the Health Department insists that there is no sign of any E coli outbreak in the states affected by the floods.

Yesterday, Najib was reported to have contracted the bacterial infection after visiting flood-hit areas in several states last week.

However, Health Department director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that there has been no other report of E coli infection, even though the prime minister was infected.

“We have not received any reports of an outbreak,” Noor Hashim is quoted as saying in the New Straits Times yesterday.

As a precaution nevertheless, he said, said the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre has taken several measures to reduce the spread of the infectious bacteria ( right ).

This includes disinfecting more than 1,000 wells in Kelantan and Terengganu alone as well as giving typhoid vaccinations to all those handling food distribution at flood relief shelters.

Other precautions are the installation of water filters at health clinics, deployment of mobile toilets and supplying hand sanitizers to shelters for evacuees.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted yesterday that Najib was infected with E coli , while visiting the flood-hit area after cutting short his vacation in the United States last month.

Najib has been ordered by doctors to rest at home and is expected to resume his duties as soon as possible, the PMO added.

Meanwhile, on his official Facebook, the prime minister said he would be be continuing to monitor the flood relief operations from home.

E coli is a type of bacteria. Most of its strains are harmless, but it can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, dehydration, and, in extremely rare cases, death.