KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The preliminary report on the post-mortem of the skeletal remains of 12 Orang Asli from Kampung Kuala Koh, Kelantan, will be ready next week, says Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

In a press conference held in Sik Hospital, Kedah, Dzulkefly said the report will be presented to him then.

"The Health Ministry with other agencies like Nadma [National Disaster Management Agency], PDRM, and the Department of Chemistry met yesterday to discuss the latest developments.

"The initial report is expected to be ready next week and I will brief the deputy prime minister about it,” he said.

Dzulkefly said the full report will be ready once the ministry receives three findings to be included in the final report, which are the DNA results of the 12 skeletal remains, toxicology and heavy metals results on eight remains, and entomology results from 10 bodies.

He said the DNA analysis by the chemistry department would take at least four weeks.

On Thursday, Dzulkefly said the forensic team examining the skeletons of the Batek Orang Asli tribe had met to deliver their conclusion from their findings

The information was said to be used to supplement earlier discoveries about the mysterious affliction affecting the Batek Orang Asli tribe in the area.

Previously, the ministry said it was unable to confirm the cause of death of the 12 Orang Asli exhumed as their remains had decomposed down to skeletons and did not hold enough human tissue with which to conduct the needed tests.

Since an "epidemic” broke out in the area from June 3 to July 5, there have been a total of 173 cases recorded involving the Batek tribe members in the area, with 147 cases including three deaths in Kelantan, 18 in Terengganu and eight in Pahang.

Of the total number, 82 cases were confirmed through laboratory tests to be measles.