Sabah man, first to contract Zika locally in Malaysia, dies

KUALA LUMPUR — The 61-year-old Sabah man who was hospitalised after contracting the Zika virus in Malaysia has died on Saturday (Sept 3) from heart complications.

His death was confirmed by Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to Malay daily Berita Harian.

“He died this afternoon as a result of a heart disease,” the health official was quoted saying.

Just hours ago, Dr Noor Hisham had announced the Sabah man to be the first Malaysian to contract the Aedes mosquito-borne virus locally as he had not travelled abroad recently, unlike several other cases involving 11 citizens who were infected while in Singapore.

The unnamed patient was receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Kota Kinabalu as his condition was serious; his health was exacerbated by other medical issues.

According to Dr Noor Hisham’s earlier statement, the man suffered from coronary heart disease, hypertension, chronic kidney problems, gallstones and gout.

He had complained of a fever on August 27 and received initial medical treatment at the Luyang Health Clinic on August 30 before being transferred to the bigger government hospital in Kota Kinabalu.

The Health Ministry has initiated vector control measures to be carried out in the housing area where the man lived as well as other places that he had visited.

The ministry is also conducting checks on the patient’s acquaintances and others who may have had contact with him to verify if they could have contracted the virus.

Though his death was not a result of Zika, the Sabah man is the first infected Malaysian to have died.

The first Malaysian recorded to have caught the disease, a 58-year-old woman from Klang, Selangor, is reported to be recovering.

Ten Malaysians living and working in the republic have been diagnosed with the disease, while the 11th patient is someone who works in Singapore but resides in Johor. MALAY MAIL ONLINE