Hospitals on alert for La Nina disease

Hospitals on alert for La Nina disease

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The Health Ministry told medical centers nationwide to be on alert to prevent the spread of disease from flooding caused by La Nina, news reports said on Monday.

Flooding is expected in all of Malaysia's 13 states due to heavier than usual monsoon rains from the La Nina weather phenomenon. Thousands of people recently have had to evacuate their homes in three northern states.

Abdul Aziz Mohamood, the health ministry's deputy director- general, said state chiefs have been told to watch for signs of water-borne diseases such as Hepatitis A, cholera, typhoid, diarrhea and food poisoning.

Hospitals and clinics around the country were told to ensure they have enough medicine to cope with any outbreaks, Abdul said, adding that contingency plans should be made to rush victims as quickly as possible by air, sea and land to medical facilities.