Malaria fear as survivor returns to hospital taken to hospital

ONE survivor has been readmitted to hospital in Kota Kinabalu, suffering from suspected malaria. Corporal Christian Brittan, 24, was taken to the Sabah Medical Centre yesterday after complaining of flu-like symptoms including lack of energy, and aches andpains.

Doctors have the young soldier hooked up to a drip and are constantly monitoring his progress. Although all the soldiers had anti-malaria tablets with them, they were advised the tablets could not be taken at a high altitude. There is now a fear that oneor more of the group of five missing soldiers, which includes three Hong Kong men, may be suffering from a similar condition.

However it is believed the group may be trapped above thick jungle somewhere on the side of the treacherous Low's Gully, minimising the risk from mosquitoes.

Corporal Brittan, based in Aldershot in Britain, has been providing the rescue teams with information, together with Lance Corporal Peter Shearer, 26, and Lance Corporal Stephen Page.

All three had originally been admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu when they first emerged from the jungle in two groups on March 11 and 12 and raised the alarm. Colleagues Sergeant Robert Mann, 37, and Lance Corporal Richard Mayfield, 25, are both now recovering in Hong Kong.