PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA: Several people in two villages in Johor have been found to be down with the mosquito-transmitted chikungunya fever.

Health Ministry Disease Control Division director Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said that 15 of the 94 samples, which were sent for testing at the National Public Health Laboratory in Sungai Buloh, tested positive for the disease.

The patients did not need hospitalisation but suffered mild symptoms like fever, rashes and joint pains, he said.

"It is confined to the villages. Fogging had been carried out because the aedes mosquito index there is high," he said.

Dr Hasan said the situation was under control and there was no cause for alarm.

"It is important to remain vigilant. It is important to go to the hospital if you have any symptoms instead of staying at home," he said.

Johor state Women, Family, Community Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai said several villagers in Kampung Ulu Choh and Kampung Paya Mengkuang near Gelang Patah had been down with fever, rashes and pains at the joints since April 18.

"We urge all village committees throughout the state to undertake cleaning campaigns to rid mosquito-breeding areas in their villages," she said in Muar yesterday.

Dr Robia said 16 cases were reported in Kampung Ulu Choh and another seven in Kampung Paya Mengkuang and all the patients were given outpatient treatment.

She said although the fever did not cause death, those suffering from it would be in pain and have high fever, adding that adults could also contract the disease.

She said that besides cleaning up all mosquito-breeding areas in the villages, homeowners should also ensure there were no breeding grounds inside and outside their houses.

Dr Robia said that the authorities would carry out fogging activity when necessary and urged the people to spray their homes with insect repellent and to use mosquito nets at night.

Residents should also wear long-sleeved shirts or long dresses and always wear those with light colours as dark or black dresses attract mosquitoes.

"We also want those down with fever to immediately seek treatment at the nearest hospitals or clinics," she added.

It had previously been reported that the fever in Malaysia is very rare and the first reported cases were in Port Klang in 1999 where it affected 27 people.

Thirty-seven people in Bagan Panchor, Perak, were down with the illness in April 2006 and in December the same year, it was confined to 30 people in Ipoh.

Those affected were either workers from India or Malaysian workers returning from India, where an outbreak had been reported earlier.