Dengue cases in Malaysia reach endemic level

The Aedes mosquito. The state of dengue in Malaysia has reached an endemic level as the number of cases continued to rise, the Health Ministry said. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
The Aedes mosquito. The state of dengue in Malaysia has reached an endemic level as the number of cases continued to rise, the Health Ministry said. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The state of dengue in Malaysia has reached an endemic level as the number of cases continued to rise, the Health Ministry said.

As at last Saturday, there have been 46,681 of such cases, which is a 246 per cent increase from the previous year in the same period.

The number of deaths have also been alarming as 87 people have died from the disease or a 222 per cent increase in dengue deaths compared to the same period last year.

"There remains many breeding grounds (for aedes mosquitoes) especially in hotspot localities. Some 90 per cent of the 93 hotspots nationwide are found in Selangor, with the Petaling district reporting a higher number of incidents," Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam told a press conference on Tuesday.

Selangor has accounted for more than half of the dengue cases so far this year, recording 36 deaths from the 26,441 cases reported.

Other states listed among the top contributors of dengue cases included Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (4,007 cases and seven deaths), Perak (2,956 cases, seven deaths), Kelantan (2,898 cases, four deaths), Johor (2,632 cases, 14 deaths) and Negri Sembilan (2,360, three deaths).

Dengue deaths were also recorded in Kedah and Malacca (four deaths respectively), Penang (three), two each in Sabah and Sarawak, and one in Terengganu.

Dr Subramaniam urged for more to be done to clean up aedes breeding grounds and to raise awareness on the matter at the grassroots level.

Earlier, he announced a cooperation between the ministry and Wanita Barisan Nasional in these two aspects, whereby Barisan women members have voiced their support to assist the ministry.

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said participation was voluntary and its members would be mobilised nationwide.

"We are really worried over the escalation in the number of (dengue) cases and we cannot leave the Health Ministry to combat this deadly disease by themselves," Shahrizat said.

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