HULU TERENGGANU, June 19 — Ten of the 12 Orang Asli warded at Hospital Hulu Terengganu here are expected to be discharged tomorrow, said Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid.
Rosol who visited some of the patients today said news of their impending discharge was conveyed by hospital authorities in view of their good recovery.
The 10 include those from settlements in Kuala Koh in neighbouring Gua Musang, Kelantan, as well as Sungai Berua here.
Speaking to reporters, Rosol said they looked cheerful and comfortable with the care received at the hospital.
The 12 Orang Asli currently warded there are from the Batek tribe in Kuala Koh, Kelantan and Jerantut, Pahang, as well as the Semaq Beri tribe in Sungai Berua.
One of the 12, Samsudin Itam, 26, of the Semaq Beri tribe, is looking forward to going home as soon as possible - he has been in hospital since June 14 for fever and cough complaints, and went there to seek treatment on his own initiative.
His wife and four children, who are looking forward to his return, are in good health, he said.
Batek tribesman Anang Ariffin, 22, from Kuala Koh, said his family was not aware that he had been hospitalised.
Over the past few weeks, a total of 15 deaths were recorded among the Orang Asli community in Kuala Koh, with authorities confirming pneumonia as the cause of death for two of the cases, while the most recent casualty was a three-year-old toddler who had measles, pneumonia and multi-organ failure.
On Monday, the Health Ministry confirmed that measles had affected the Orang Asli in Kuala Koh, with 37 people testing positive for the illness. — Bernama
