Malaria strikes Penan

Reports say that two Penan villages in Sarawak have been struck by malaria, leading to eighteen Penan individuals being flown to hospital.

The outbreak has been confirmed by local authorities and medical teams.

'The information I have received so far indicated that these eighteen Penan have been hospitalised,' a local politician was reported as saying. 'There are no fatalities. These Penan are from an isolated territory.'

The outbreak was first reported in a village called Arur Dalan in the Bario highlands. Two days later, it was reported to have reached another village, Semirian, thirty kilometres away.

Local health teams are reported to be in the area carrying out anti-malaria campaigns.