Dengue deaths up by 151%

PUTRAJAYA: Dengue fever killed 88 victims up to Dec 21, an increase of 151 per cent from the 35 cases during the same period last year.

Except for Terengganu and the Federal Territory of Labuan, the other states had reported fatalities with Selangor reporting the highest figure of 24 fatal cases, followed by Johor with 21 fatalities.

As for the other states, Malacca had nine fatalities; followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (8); Penang (7); Perak, Sarawak and Sabah (four each), Kelantan and Pahang (two each); while Perlis, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan had one death each.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the rise in dengue cases had been significant in 12 states compared with last year, which included Malacca with 229 per cent; Johor (191 per cent); Selangor (152 per cent); Negeri Sembilan (100 per cent); Perak (42 per cent), Labuan (40 per cent); Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (39 per cent); Penang (31 per cent); and Perlis (30 per cent). 

He said a total of 41,226 cases were reported up to Dec 21 throughout the country, a jump of 92 per cent or 19,782 cases, compared with the 21,444 cases reported during the same period of last year. - Bernama