Dengue cases till Dec 16 record 89.3 % rise - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: The cumulative total of dengue cases this year till Dec 16 recorded a rise of 89.3 per cent, to 117,505 cases from 62,060 cases in 2022, Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said.

He added that there were 92 deaths due to dengue fever complications recorded this year in the same period compared to 49 deaths last year.

“In the 50th Epidemiological Week 2023 (Epi Week 50), from Dec 10 to 16, dengue cases rose by 6.5 per cent, or 192 cases, with 3140 cases compared to 2,948 caes the previous week.

“The number of hotspots recorded in Epi Week 50 also rose to 124 localities compared to 101 localities in the previous week,” he said in a statement today, adding that 95 of the hotspots were in Selangor, 13 in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, seven in Perak, four in Sabah, two in Negeri Sembilan and one each in Kedah, Penang and Sarawak.

Dr Muhammad Radzi said dengue cases are expected to rise till next year and the public should take precautions against dengue by ensuring the cleanliness of their homes and environments and destroy any potential breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito.

Those with dengue symptoms, including continuous fever, diarrhea as well as aches and pains even with a negative COVID-19 test, are advised to take a fever test at then nearest health facility.

Regarding chikungunya case surveillance, he said there was no outbreak detected in Epi Week 50 but one case was recorded, bringing the total to 193 cases and that 3,733 blood samples and 411 urine samples were screened for zika, all of which produced negative results. - Bernama