Malaysians just love the outdoors — who can blame us when we’re cradled by lush greenery in and around the Klang Valley itself?
But campers, hold on to those tents because the Health Ministry has just issued a warning on the deadly leptospirosis — otherwise known as “rat urine disease” — which spreads through, you guessed it, the urine of rats and other wild and domestic animals.
Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah warned that with the dry season, the risk for infection at camping sites becomes higher as animals head to streams and freshwater areas, The Star Online’s Tashny Sukumaran reports.
It gets worse when food and other kinds of waste get disposed there.
“They become food sources for rats and other animals. Faeces and urine from these animals will find their way into the streams and infect those who happen to play in the water and swallow some of it,” Dr Noor Hisham told the portal.
“There is no need to avoid camping or trekking in these areas but recognise the risk and take the necessary precautions when wading or drinking the water,”he was quoted further.
Last year, Selangor reportedly became the state with the highest number of leptospirosis cases with 1,832 reports from a total of 7,806 nationwide.
Take heed, campers.
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