Banners at dengue outbreak areas are a common sight in many parts of the Klang Valley.
THE increase in dengue cases nationwide in the first half of the year is at an alarming number.
At the end of July, there were 75, 913 cases with 111 fatalities against 40, 320 cases with 66 deaths during the same period last year.
More than half of all dengue cases was recorded in Selangor with 42, 700 cases including 36 deaths.
Petaling Jaya has seen a significant spike with an almost 300% increase in cases.
Up to Week 29, there were 4, 349 cases compared to only 1, 572 last year. No deaths were recorded this year.
Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran said he has five mosquito magnets which he loans to neighbourhoods in his constituency when there is a dengue outbreak.
“This magnet functions like a vacuum cleaner. It emits carbon dioxide which attracts mosquitoes. We could easily trap thousands of mosquitoes at one go and this method has proven effective.
In response to the dengue rise, residents in Subang Jaya had a gotong-royong to clean up their neighbourhood.
“I loan it to neighbourhoods with new outbreaks and it helps reduce cases and from being a dengue hotspot area.”
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council president Datuk Abdul Hamid Hussain said 3, 055 cases were reported as of July 25 with four deaths.
The weather, he said, was one of the factors contributing to the rise in dengue cases.
“We also found out that there is a new breed of mosquitoes that are more resistant to the chemicals used in fogging.”
Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) recorded 6, 021 cases with eight deaths at Week 29.
“The Hulu Langat district ranks third highest in Selangor, with 8, 220 accumulated cases involving 12 deaths as of Week 29, ” said MPKj president Datuk Rosli Othman.
This marks a 236.4% increase compared to the same period last year with 3, 477 cases.
Following its listing in the Malaysia Book of Records for its kindergarten syllabus on dengue prevention, the Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) will introduce a similar programme for primary school pupils.
Launched in 2017, MPSepang Health and Environment Department director Kuzaini Hamidon said the Taska Free Aedes syllabus has reached 128 kindergartens.
Sepang District Health Office vector unit head Dr Hirman Mohamed said as of Week 29, the district recorded 1, 662 cases.
Those aged between 20 and 39 are the most to be infected with dengue from January to July 27 this year in Klang.
Klang Municipal Council (MPK) Health Department director Azmi Muji said until July 27, there were 8, 636 cases, an increase of 2, 518 cases.
“Of the number, 5, 440 were youths, ” he said.
Azmi said those aged between 19 and 24 leave for college or university early in the morning.
Others below 39 years are those leaving for work at 6am when they are likely to be more exposed to mosquitoes.
Khalvin Alfred, Hamdan Mat Dahari and Fadzli Azimudin from the Petaling Jaya City Council Health and Environmental Services Department showing a close-up of a mosquito trap. — Photos: Filepic
In Shah Alam the numbers dropped slightly this year.
Until June a total 7, 222 cases were recorded while it was 7, 700 cases last year.
“Although there was a 12% drop in cases, there have been four deaths as of July, ” said Shah Alam City Council corporate communications head Shahrin Ahmad.
Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) Corporate Communications Department deputy director Ahmad Fauzi Ishak said two deaths were reported so far in Bandar Tasik Puteri in Rawang and Kampung Kerdas in Gombak.
In the Subang Jaya municipality, 5, 831 dengue cases have been recorded until July 27.
In Kuala Lumpur, there has been an increase of 142%.
As of July 31 last year there were 3, 608 cases but 8, 748 cases recorded this year.
Also, four deaths were recorded this year and 11 last year.
Some 113 hotspots were identified too.
The more serious areas were Desa Pasifik near the KL-Ampang border and Pelangi Indah condominium, off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.
The dengue outbreak lasted for 79 days in Desa Pasifik with 91 cases while the outbreak at Pelangi Indah condominium was prolonged over 77 days where 20 cases were reported.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Health Department senior deputy director Umi Ahmad said unattended land which were turned into illegal rubbish dumping grounds were common mosquito breeding sites.
Up north and down south Perak has recorded a 4.3% increase in dengue cases.
Based on the state Health Department website, 1, 813 cases were recorded as of July 20 this year with three deaths, while last year there were 1, 739 cases with also three deaths.
The report said Taman Semaraki in Taiping was categorised as an uncontrolled outbreak and various measures have been taken to contain it.
Dengue cases in Negri Sembilan in the first seven months of this year have increased by almost 80% with 1, 404 cases and seven deaths.
State health director Datuk Dr Zainuddin Mohd Ali said 785 cases with two deaths were reported during the corresponding period last year.
Despite the increase, in recent weeks, it has been on a decline.
Dr Zainuddin said 34 cases were reported in Week 30 of this year as against 43 in Week 29 and 59 in Week 28.
On a positive note, Melaka recorded zero dengue cases since last week.
State Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Low Chee Leong said 16, 000 male mosquitoes were released last month to destroy the Aedes Aegypti species.
“We used to get one case daily during peak periods. We thank these ‘Romeo’ mosquitoes for doing their job although it is still too early to gauge the success of the sterile insect technique (SIT).”
Low said before SIT, Kota Laksamana was one of the areas with a high number of dengue cases.
“Sterile males were released at the Kota Laksamana Apartment area in Phase I. A total of 65, 000 male mosquitoes would be freed in stages to mate with females to reduce the population.”
