KUALA LUMPUR: The number of dengue fever cases dropped by 1.3% to 2,948 cases in the 49th Epidemiological Week (ME49) from Dec 3 to Dec 9, compared with 2,988 cases reported in the previous week.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said the cumulative number of dengue cases this year up to ME49 was 114,365 cases compared to 60,110 cases in the same period in 2022, an increase of 54,255 cases or 90.3%.
He added that the number of hotspot localities reported in ME48 was 101 compared with 95 in the previous week.
“Of the total, 78 localties were reported in Selangor, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (12), Perak (six), Sabah (three) and one locality each in Kelantan and Sarawak,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 19).
Dr Muhammad Radzi said that there were three fatal cases in the same week, bringing the total number of deaths this year to 87 as of ME49, compared to 44 deaths in the same period in 2022.
He said that the delay in seeking treatment at health facilities is one of the main factors leading to deaths from dengue.
Therefore, Dr Muhammad Radzi advises the public to seek immediate treatment at the nearest health facility if they experience symptoms such as sudden high fever, muscle, bone or joint pain, severe headache and pain behind the eyes.
“It is even more worrying if these symptoms are accompanied by vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding gums. If this is not treated immediately, it can lead to complications of dengue fever and, subsequently, death.
“Early treatment can prevent complications and save lives,” he said.
As for chikungunya surveillance, Dr Muhammad Radzi said that no cases were reported in ME49, bringing the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date to 192.
There was an active chikungunya outbreak in Petaling district, Selangor, in ME49.
For Zika surveillance, he said a total of 3,603 blood samples and 395 urine samples were screened, and the results were all negative. – Bernama
