‘Rain could see rise in dengue’

WHILE the monsoon season is seen as bringing some respite to the haze plaguing the country, it may be a double-edged sword with the dengue situation, says the Health Ministry.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the extra rain could cause a rise in the number of dengue cases and the ministry was monitoring the situation closely.

He said if rainwater pooled in many areas, this would increase the number of possible breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito.

But if the rainfall helped flush drains, this would work against the mosquito and dengue, he said.

“We have seen a drop in the number of dengue cases, from more than 3,000 a week to more than 2,000,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

He noted that Selangor, mainly the Klang Valley, had many dengue hotspots due to its numerous construction sites.

A total of 94,175 dengue cases and 293 deaths have been recorded nationwide from January till early this month.

According to the ministry, more than half of these cases were in Selangor, followed by Kuala Lumpur (6,194).