Number of dengue cases set to hit all-time high

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s total number of dengue cases this year looks set to be the highest ever recorded.

Despite the countless measures taken to control the spread of the Aedes mosquito, there have been 119,198 infections recorded as of Friday.

This works out to about 359 new cases each day.

Going by that rate, it is imminent that the number will surpass the “record” in 2015, which stood at 120,836 cases.

The latest numbers were shown on the iDengue website, which is run by the Health Ministry in collaboration with the National Space Agency.

Among others, the website provides information on hot spots, preventive measures and contact numbers of operation rooms in every state.

The website can be accessed at http://idengue.arsm.gov.my/

It also listed nine plants that could rid the mosquitoes that included bunga tahi ayam (lantana camara), serai wangi (cymbopogan nardus) and aloe vera/lidah buaya (aloe barbadensis miller).

A comprehensive list of signs of dengue fever is also provided.

“There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue but early detection and prompt medical care will save lives,” Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported to have said.

The iDengue website, which is updated daily, noted that there had been 162 deaths so far this year.

The number has surpassed the number of fatalities recorded the whole of last year at 147 deaths.

However, the number is still a marked improvement compared to the 336 deaths recorded in 2015.

In August, Deputy Health Minister Lee Boon Chye cautioned that dengue fever cases could hit 150,000 cases by year-end if they are not contained.

He said the ministry was using various methods to overcome the dengue outbreak, such as fogging and removing mosquito breeding sites.