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KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has yet to receive any further information regarding cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), currently affecting Japan.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has yet to provide updates on the infection.

As a result, the MOH does not consider STSS a public health challenge at this time, given the lack of updates from the WHO.

“Hence, I am of the view that it is not a challenge or a public health hazard in the current context,” Dzulkefly told reporters after officiating the Selangor-level Kita MADANI Carnival, at Dewan Dato' Penggawa Matang, today.

Previously, Dzulkefly reportedly said that Malaysia would obtain information and input related to the STSS cases in Japan, from the WHO.

He emphasised that all input obtained is to ensure that the MOH implements preventative control measures in Malaysia.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, citing the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Japan has recorded over 1,000 cases of STSS in 2024. STSS, also known as severe invasive streptococcal infection, is a sudden-onset disease, caused by Group A Streptococcus.

Early symptoms typically include sore throat, fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal issues, as well as septic symptoms like low blood pressure.

In the meantime, Dzulkefly said that the ministry is working to raise awareness about the importance of practising healthy eating, to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

He said that the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 showed a high prevalence of diseases, with the weight trend of Malaysians at an alarming level, at a prevalence of 54.4 per cent.

“This increases the risk of other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure,” he added.