DENGUE CASES UP BY 11.2 PCT, ONE DEATH REPORTED

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12  — The number of dengue fever cases increased by 11.2 per cent, to 2,988 cases, in the 48th Epidemiological Week (ME48), from Nov 26 to Dec 2, compared with 2,686 cases reported in the previous week.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said that there was one death reported, as a result of complications from dengue fever in ME48.

He said that the cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported up to ME48 increased by 91.3 per cent, to 111,417 cases, compared with 58,239 for the same period in 2022.

“A total of 84 deaths due to dengue fever complications have been reported, compared with 39 deaths for the same period in 2022,” he said in a statement today.

Dr Muhammad Radzi said that the number of hotspot localities reported in ME48 was 95 compared with 79 in the previous week.

As many as 71 localities were reported in Selangor, followed by the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (10), Perak (eight), Sabah (four) and one each in Johor and Sarawak.

He said that one of the reasons for the increase in dengue cases is the increase in rainfall, following the Northeast Monsoon season. This situation can contribute to the increase in potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes.

As for chikungunya surveillance, Dr Muhammad Radzi said that four cases and one active outbreak were reported in ME48.

“The cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 192. For Zika surveillance, a total of 3,479 blood samples and 379 urine samples were screened for Zika and the results were all negative,” he said.– BERNAMA