An Orang Asli man from Kampung Sungai Berua was admitted with cough complaints to the Hulu Terengganu Hospital on Friday, bringing the total number of members from the community currently warded there to nine.

On Wednesday, eight Orang Asli from Kuala Koh in neighbouring Gua Musang were admitted to the hospital.

Seven had cough complaints, while another who had experienced diarrhoea, stomach pains and vomiting was being treated for acute gastroenteritis.

State health director Dr Mohd Jusoh told reporters today that the 26-year-old man from Hulu Terengganu was warded after he had gone to the hospital for treatment at 8.57pm.

"He had been experiencing a fever for the past two weeks but developed a cough three days before visiting the hospital," he noted.

Mohd also said the fact that the patient had come to seek medical treatment on his own was a good development, as it indicated that the Orang Asli community was increasingly vigilant about their health given the recent deaths affecting the Bateq tribe from Kuala Koh. 

The director said all nine patients in the hospital, aged between four and 26 and comprising six men and three women were in stable condition and had been placed in separate wards to facilitate the provision of appropriate treatment.

Prior to the hospitalisation, the Health Department had conducted phased checks on 23 Orang Asli in Kampung Gerdong, Hulu Terengganu who originated from Kuala Koh.

Seven had been living there for a long time, while 16 had moved there on June 8.

A total of 14 Orang Asli deaths were reported to have taken place in the past month in Gua Musang, with two bodies examined by the authorities and determined to have been caused by pneumonia.

There are four Orang Asli settlements in Terengganu, comprising two in Hulu Terengganu and one each in Besut and Kemaman.

- Bernama