Dr Noor Hisham: Cumulative cases of dengue fever up 205.6% from the same period last year

KUALA LUMPUR: The cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported has increased by 205.% (8,810 cases) to 13,094 cases, compared with 4,284 cases recorded for the same period last year.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a statement on Friday (Feb 17), said that nine deaths due to fever complications were also recorded, compared with no deaths reported for the same period in 2022.

"However, the number of dengue fever cases in the Sixth Epidemiological Week (Feb 5 to 11) this year has dropped by 8.9%, to 1,967 cases with three deaths, compared with 2,159 cases reported in the previous week," he said.

He added that a total of 86 hotspot localities were recorded this week, compared with 82 hotspot localities in the previous week, with 50 of them in Selangor, Sabah (22), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (11) and Penang (three).

Meanwhile, he said that chikungunya surveillance recorded a total of 14 cases, with five of them from Penang, three cases in Kedah and two cases each in Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

This brings the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to 86.

"A total of 284 blood samples and one urine sample were tested for zika surveillance, and the results were all negative," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham also advised the public to take some precautionary measures before returning to their hometowns or going on vacation during the school holidays, so that there is no place for mosquitoes to breed in and around the house, following the current increase in rainfall.

These include ensuring no stagnant water in water filters and flower vases, closing water storage containers tightly, as well as adding larvae-killing material in pumps and toilet bowls.

He said people also need to ensure that their outdoor environment was free from containers which can hold water, for example, decorative items, food or drink containers, plant pot bases and children's toys.

"While in hometowns or on vacation, wear clothes which cover body parts if doing outdoor activities, especially in the early morning and late afternoon, and use repellent to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes," he said. - Bernama