Dengue cases up almost 15% last week, says Health DG

PUTRAJAYA: The number of dengue fever cases reported in the 12th epidemiological week (ME) this year from March 19 to 25 increased by 14.8% to 2,469 cases from 2,151 in the previous week.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic) said one death due to dengue fever complications was also reported during the week.

He said the cumulative number of dengue cases reported so far is 26,222 compared with 8,124 in the corresponding period last year, an increase of 18,098 or 222.8%, with 17 deaths compared with four during the same period in 2022.

"A total of 81 hotspot localities were reported this week compared with 91 in the previous week. Of the figures, 52 were in Selangor, 15 in Penang, six in Sabah, four in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, three in Perak and one in Kedah,” he said in a statement today (March 31).

Dr Noor Hisham said for chikungunya surveillance, one case was reported in ME12, taking the cumulative figure to date to 107 cases.

As for Zika surveillance, a total of 600 blood samples and four urine samples were screened, and the results were all negative.

Following the surge in dengue cases in Malaysia, Dr Noor Hisham said the Cabinet Committee to Combat Dengue has been reactivated, and a meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Tuesday.

He said the committee involved 12 ministries including all mentris besar and chief minister’s offices and the Federal Territories Department in determining policies and strategies for the prevention and control of dengue in Malaysia.

In the meantime, Dr Noor Hisham urged local community leaders, residents committees, joint management bodies, neighbourhood watch members and the authorities to mobilise the community to search for and destroy Aedes breeding grounds on a regular basis.

He also encouraged non-governmental organisations and private entities to support control and prevention initiatives.

"Every level of society needs to take responsibility and act proactively in an effort to reduce the incidence of dengue fever that is currently increasing,” he said. - Bernama