Dr Sim: Four dengue deaths in Sarawak last year despite third lowest cases nationwide

KUCHING (Jan 16): Four deaths due to complications from dengue fever were recorded in Sarawak last year despite the state having the third lowest number of dengue cases nationwide in 2023, said Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

The Deputy Premier said Sarawak recorded 1,091 dengue cases in 2023, which was 0.9 per cent out of the 123,133 cases of dengue nationwide.

Dr Sim, who attended the Cabinet Committee to Combat Dengue meeting in Putrajaya yesterday (Jan 15), said Selangor with 61,080 cases (49.6 per cent) and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur with 14,206 cases (11.5 per cent) accounted for 61.1 per cent of dengue cases in Malaysia last year.

Dr Sim, who is state Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, pointed out those living in urban areas with higher density need to do more to prevent dengue cases.

“We need to step up the proven public health preventive measures on fighting the dengue. Education, action, and responsibility by everyone in their own environment (home, workplace, factories, construction sites etc) with the support of both the state and federal agencies coming together to help,” he said in a Facebook post following the meeting.

The meeting, which was the first for this year, was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zulkefly Ahmad.

Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying that 123,133 dengue cases were reported last year, which was an increase of 86.3 per cent compared to 66,102 cases for the same period in 2022.

He said there were 100 deaths due to complications from dengue fever reported last year, compared with 56 deaths in 2022.

Ahmad Zahid added Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes have been proposed to be released in 10 new localities to help address dengue cases in the country.

This would cost RM4 million annually.