Latest news with #Zaini
Barnama
2 days ago
- Health
- Barnama
Kelantan Records Decline In Dengue Cases, Wolbachia Mosquito Release Shows Results
KOTA BHARU, June 20 (Bernama) -- The number of dengue fever cases in Kelantan dropped by 12.5 percent, with 875 cases recorded in the first half of this year compared to 1,000 cases during the same period last year, said State Health director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin. However, he noted that the number of dengue outbreaks rose to 66 from 50 in the same period, although no fatalities were reported. 'This year, there have been no dengue hotspot localities in Kelantan. The current trend remains low, with 17 cases reported in epidemiological week 24. 'Kelantan currently ranks ninth among Malaysian states with the highest number of dengue cases,' he told Bernama at the Gotong-Royong Mega Perangi Aedes 1.0 launch and release of Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes, officiated by state executive councillor for Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment, Hilmi Abdullah. Dr Zaini also reported that 180,414 premises have been inspected for Aedes mosquito breeding grounds in Kelantan as of mid-June this year, resulting in 501 compounds issued, amounting to RM250,000. He said a total of 73,900 Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes have been released in Pondok Terusan, Pasir Tumboh, and Kubur Maras, Kota Bharu in 2021, and in Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian today. He noted that no dengue cases have been reported in Pondok Terusan since the release, compared to 134 cases over the previous five years. 'In Kubur Maras, only two dengue cases have been recorded, one each in 2023 and 2024, compared to 81 cases in the five years before 2021,' he said. Dr Zaini added that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has spent an estimated RM705,500 over the past four years on dengue control efforts in Pondok Terusan and Kubur Maras.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Sixteen leprosy cases detected in Kelantan since 2023
GUA MUSANG: Sixteen leprosy cases have been detected in Kelantan from 2023 up to the middle of this year. State Health Director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said three cases were recorded this year, seven in 2023 and six throughout 2024. 'In 2023, there were seven cases, five were Multibacillary (MB) type and two were Paucibacillary (PB). For 2024, six cases were recorded, all of which were of the MB type. 'The Health Ministry (MoH) has implemented preventive treatment for leprosy through the administration of Single Dose Rifampicin (SDR) to individuals who had close contact with patients, as a step to reduce the risk of infection,' he told reporters after opening the 2025 Kelantan-Level World Leprosy Day celebration at Kampung Pasir Linggi, Pos Lebir, here today. He said all patients who have completed treatment must undergo extended monitoring at treatment centres, five years for PB cases and ten years for MB cases. 'The treatment duration for PB patients is six months, while for MB cases it is 12 months. The MoH carries out continuous monitoring, especially in areas identified as high-risk,' he said. Dr Zaini said leprosy does not have distinct symptoms and is often confused with other skin conditions, such as 'panau' (tinea versicolor), a superficial fungal skin infection that causes discolored patches on the skin. 'There may be whitish patches on the skin, but a key difference is the loss of sensation in the affected area due to nerve damage. 'Therefore, early screening and collecting skin smears are essential for laboratory analysis,' he said.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Flawed bus seat design puts passengers at risk, expert warns
KUALA LUMPUR: An engineering expert has called for urgent reforms to Malaysia's bus safety regulations, warning that flawed seating design and the lack of compulsory rollover crash tests could be putting lives at risk. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Mechanical Engineering Faculty dean Professor Dr Zaini Ahmad, said the four-seat row layout still used in many buses limits passenger survival space during crashes. "The four-seat row formation reduces the survivability space and lowers the chance of passengers surviving a crash compared to a three-seat layout, which is more commonly used in express buses," he said. He also raised concerns about the use of hard, rigid materials in bus seat frames, which he said may contribute to more severe injuries in accidents. "More flexible seat frames made from materials that absorb impact could increase passenger safety compared to rigid steel structures," he said. Zaini warned that many buses in Malaysia are approved without undergoing full rollover crash testing, despite the existence of the Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 66 (ECE-R66), which sets standards for structural integrity during rollovers. "Some bus manufacturers rely only on the approval of joint structure designs to meet regulatory requirements, without having to conduct actual rollover tests, which are more costly," he said. He added that Malaysia does not currently require buses to undergo rollover tests if they have already passed structural joint tests — a loophole he believes must be closed. "This test is essential to ensure that the bus structure can maintain passenger survivability in the event of a rollover, but it's not mandatory if the structural joints are certified," he said. Zaini said these upgrades should go hand in hand with more robust enforcement and road safety education. "Improving safety measures such as seatbelt use, safer seat design, and making rollover testing mandatory must be a priority in strengthening the safety of public transport, especially buses," he said. His recommendations come in the wake of a crash involving a Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) chartered bus, which killed 15 students. The tragedy has reignited calls for stronger oversight and improvements in bus design.
New Straits Times
07-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Mother mourns four children killed in Jerantut crash
PARIT: The mother of four siblings who were killed in an accident at Km7 of Jalan Jerantut–Maran in Jerantut, Pahang, today never imagined that her children's trip to celebrate Aidiladha at their uncle's house would end in tragedy. Zaini Noh's children, namely, Nur Arfiqah Aziz Jaafar, 23; Mohammad Zulkifli Aziz Jaafar, 21; Mohamad Azizul Hakimi Aziz Jaafar, 19; and Nurul Hazwani Aziz Jaafar, 17, along with Nur Arfiqah's husband, Mohamad Ikmal Ishak, 26, were all killed on the spot. The 52-year-old said she had initially advised her children and son-in-law not to make the journey to Jerantut, as she was unwell and unable to join them after suffering a mild stroke. However, she said Nur Arfiqah was determined to visit their uncle to attend a qurban (sacrificial livestock) feast in conjunction with Aidiladha, as the family had not visited his home in Jerantut since 2004. "They left for Pahang around 5pm yesterday to attend the qurban ceremony organised by my brother. This was their first visit after a very long time. "Since their uncle had invited them, they were eager to go... I did not accompany them because of my health. "I told Arfiqah that if I could not attend, they should postpone the trip, but she insisted, even though I repeatedly asked her not to go without me," Zaini told reporters when met at Kampung Padang Kunchor, Bota, today. Zaini said she has come to terms with the loss of her four children on the eve of Aidiladha, as she now has only her eldest son and youngest daughter left. She said she was first informed by a neighbour that her children were involved in an accident. It was only hours later that she received confirmation that they had died. "My youngest daughter had travelled earlier with other relatives to Jerantut on Thursday, while my eldest son, who is married, did not join the trip," she said. Zaini last saw her children on Tuesday, when Nur Arfiqah came to her house to pick up her younger siblings. The group gathered in Ipoh, Perak, before continuing their journey to Jerantut on Thursday and Friday. She said her son, Mohammad Zulkifli, had recently bought packed rice for his 10 housemates, a kind gesture that his friends shared with the family when they came to visit today. "His friends came by today and told me that he had bought them packed meals just days before the tragedy," she said. Funeral prayers for the siblings will be held at Jamek Bota Kanan Mosque before they are laid to rest at the Kampung Selat Muslim burial ground in Bota Kanan. In the early morning accident, three others, including a woman travelling in a Toyota Alphard, sustained injuries.
The Star
07-06-2025
- The Star
Jerantut tragedy: 'I told them not to go', says grieving mother who lost five loved ones
PARIT: A mother's intuition that something was amiss turned into a tragedy when her four children and a son-in-law died in an accident at Kilometer 7, Jalan Jerantut Feri–Maran, Pahang at midnight last night (Friday, June 6). According to a Sinar Harian report, Zaini Noh, 52, said her feeling of unease led her to advise her children and son-in-law not to proceed with their plan to celebrate Hari Raya at their uncle's house. However, she said, her children were very eager, which led her and her husband, Aziz Jaafar Yusof, 50, to give their permission. "I couldn't go because I wasn't feeling well. I told them, if mom doesn't go, there's no need to go. "I advised them many times not to go, but they insisted," she said when met at her home in Kampung Padang Kunchor, Bota Kanan here, on Saturday. In the incident at 12:40 a.m., Nur Arfiqah Aziz Jaafar, 23, along with her three siblings, Mohammad Zulkifli, 21, Mohamad Azizul Hakimi, 19, and Nurul Hazwani, 17, died after the Perodua Bezza car they were traveling in collided with a Toyota Alphard multipurpose vehicle (MPV). The deceased were the second, third, fourth, and fifth children among six siblings. Also killed was Nur Arfiqah's husband, Mohamad Ikmal Ishak, 26, who was driving the vehicle. Zaini mentioned that her children had not visited their uncle's house in Jerantut for a long time, and this visit was the first after a long period. "They went there because my brother was hosting a sacrificial feast. Other relatives, including my youngest child, left a day earlier, on Thursday, using two other vehicles," she said. According to Zaini, the last time she saw all her children was on Tuesday before the incident. She said they gathered and packed their belongings to stay at Nur Arfiqah's residence in Tambun before leaving for Jerantut around 5 p.m. on Friday. "I saw they were all cheerful the last time we met. Only the children's friends had much to tell. "They said my son (Mohammad Zulkifli) managed to treat 10 of his housemates to packed meals," she said. She received news of the accident through a call from a neighbour who informed her that her children were involved in an accident. "The neighbour called, saying the children had an accident, but didn't mention about their deaths. It was much later that we found out that all of them were gone," she explained. Despite the difficulty in accepting the reality, Zaini and her husband remained strong and resigned to face this great loss. She said they are now left with only two children, the eldest (a son) and the youngest (a daughter). "What can I say... I am resigned," she said, holding back tears. The bodies of all the victims will be prayed over at Masjid Jamek Bota Kanan and buried at the Islamic Cemetery of Kampung Selat, Bota Kanan on Saturday (June 7).
