SANDAKAN: Sandakan recorded 78 dengue fever cases from January to April 18 compared to only 38 cases reported in the same period in 2021, said Sandakan Area Health Officer Dr Johari Awang Besar.
He said there was a 105.3 per cent increase in March, with one death reported from Kampung Tinusa 2 Laut.
“Currently, there are 18 active localities, including five outbreak localities and 13 localities with only one case, while uncontrolled outbreaks with five cases were reported in Kg Pg Galpam.
“In Pangeran, the most cases of controlled outbreaks were reported in Taman Fajar with 11, LPPB Sri Taman (four), Taman Kenari (two) and Taman Megah Jaya (two).
“One case was reported each in Kg Bahagia, Taman Permata, Bandar Ramai-Ramai, Taman Pertama, Kg Berhala Darat Zone B, Kg Bokara, Taman Mesra, Kg Tinusa 2 Darat, Taman Khaya, PPR Sg. Manila, Flat Indah Jaya, Taman Nuri and PPR Taman Harmoni,” he said.
According to Johari, a seven-year-old boy from Kg Bahagia is still being treated at the Intensive Care Unit.
Meanwhile, Johari said several issues have been identified during dengue control activities, including the absence of occupants during fogging and the inspection of mosquito breeding grounds.
“We also get less cooperation from residents by not allowing health workers to enter the house for the areas we have identified other than the cover of potholes or ditches that are difficult to open and narrow, making spraying smoke difficult. There are also orchards in the housing estate area whose owners are unknown, complicating the process of destroying natural breeding grounds even further.
“I would like to advise the general public to clean their homes in order to locate and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds,” he said.
According to Johari, many houses will be left behind ahead of the upcoming Eid holiday for vacation.
“Before returning to the village, ensure that there are no water-holding containers such as buckets, basins, or containers, and do put larvae-killing materials such as abate in toilet pumps and water storage tanks to prevent mosquito breeding.
“Despite the dry and re-watered water from the reservoir, Aedes mosquito eggs can survive for six to nine months, and it is critical for all to eliminate the breeding of these mosquitoes,” he said.
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