Fireman the latest Lubuk Yu victim
KUANTAN: A 50-year-old firefighter from Jerantut involved in a rescue operation at the Lubuk Yu waterfalls in Maran last month has become the latest to die from melioidosis and leptospirosis bacterial infection.
Mohd Nor Abidin Ismail, who was attached to the Jengka fire station for the past 25 years, died at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital (Hoshas) in Temerloh at 3.10am yesterday.
He, the seventh person to die of the infection, had taken part in the five-day search for a drowning victim at the waterfall recreational area from June 26.
State Health Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said Nor died of coronary heart attack caused by diabetes and septicaemia (severe infection due to the presence of bacteria in the blood), which has been attributed to melioidisis and leptospirosis infection.
Nor was warded at Hoshas on July 8 after he showed symptoms of the bacterial infection.
Hoh said there were 21 suspected cases as at 3pm yesterday and three were being treated at Jengka Hospital and another at Selayang Hospital.
However, all four were in stable condition although they were still receiving antibiotic treatment.
Nor's wife, Nor Zakiah Mohd Jusoh, 40, said her husband was transferred from the intensive care unit to the normal ward at Hoshas on Monday after his condition improved.
"He only had a slight fever and I never expected that he would leave me forever," said the mother of seven children, aged one to 22.
Zakiah said her husband was responsible for taking care of the Fire and Rescue Department's equipment during the rescue operation in Lubuk Yu.
"He was not involved in the diving operations. However, he came down with fever after the rescue operation ended on June 30 and was admitted to Jengka Hospital three days later."
Zakiah said she was sad that her husband could not join them to move to their new home in Bandar Jengka, which was completed only recently.
Nor's body was buried at the Kampung Mat Kilau Muslim cemetery in Jerantut about 11.30am yesterday.
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