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PUTRAJAYA – The total number of dengue fever reported during the 47th epidemiological week rose by 8.9% or 1,734 cases compared to 1,593 in the previous week, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
However, he said, no death from dengue fever complications was reported during the week.
He said the cumulative number of dengue fever reported to date was 56,304 cases compared to 23,547 cases during the corresponding period last year, which is an increase of 139.1%, while the total number of related deaths reported during the period this year was 37, from 18 in 2021.
“There were also 54 hotspot locations identified this week, compared with 61 hotspots the week before, with 25 hotspots in Selangor, 19 in Sabah, seven in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, two in Perak and one in Sarawak,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Noor Hisham said surveillance done on chikungunya recorded 18 cases in the same week with 11 cases in Penang, four in Selangor, and one each in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and Melaka.
“The cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 710. Meanwhile, 1,939 blood samples and 17 urine samples were taken for zika screening and the results were all negative,” he said.
Recreational parks and playgrounds were still risk areas for dengue fever infection, he said, adding that the bad habit of throwing rubbish indiscriminately is a threat to health.
As such, Dr Noor Hisham said every household must inculcate the culture of maintaining cleanliness by not throwing rubbish indiscriminately from a young age to prevent it from becoming a habit among adults.
He said individuals who visit recreational parks must protect themselves by putting on mosquito repellants, especially during peak hours when the mosquitoes are active from 5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm. – Bernama, December 2, 2022
