Student down with Japanese Encephalitis shows improvement, says doctor - Bernama
The condition of Muhammad Ammar Muqrish Zulkiffli, 12, who was admitted to a private hospital after suffering from Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and reported to be in critical condition after slipping into a coma, has shown positive improvement.
The hospital's consultant neurologist Dr Wong Yee Choon said Ammar was now in a semi-conscious state and that there was hope of recovery but his speech and movements may be affected permanently because his nerves have been damaged by the virus.
"The patient has come out of the infection but we expect him to suffer between 30% to 50% disability compared to when he was normal. However, we are doing our best to ensure he recovers," he told reporters after State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin visited Ammar in George Town today.
Dr Wong said Ammar has been placed at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and his condition would be monitored closely because the Year Six student of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Selamat in Tasek Gelugor, has a history of epilepsy.
Earlier today, The Malaysian Insider reported that the Healthy Ministry was keeping a watchful eye over the spread of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the country on a weekly basis, as 16 cases and four deaths have been recorded so far.
Bernama reported yesterday that two of the deaths due to JE occurred in Sabah, one in Kelantan and another one in Selangor.
Meanwhile, Dr Afif said the health condition of others living in the village would also be monitored to ensure no others are affected by the virus because Kampung Selamat has the biggest pig farms in the state. – Bernama, July 1, 2014.
