Just in case you’ve ever wondered how serious dengue cases are in Malaysia, well, a report by The Star Online points out that there was more than 50% jump in the number of deaths caused by dengue last year as compared to 2014. And according to our Health Ministry, it’s the highest number ever recorded in Malaysia.
336 people (an average of 28 a month) died from dengue last year compared to 215 in 2014, a rise of 56.3%. There was also an increase of 11.2% in the number of dengue cases throughout last year, up from 108,698 in 2014 to 120,836 cases.
And that’s not all.
Our Health Ministry has also advised people to brace for an equally bad, if not worse year ahead. The Star Online cited the ministry’s Vector Borne Disease Sector (Disease Control Division) head Dr Rose Nani Mudin as saying that the upward trend of dengue cases recorded in the country corresponded with the rest of the world.
“World Health Organisation’s (WHO) data also showed the number of cases increasing each year globally. The upward trend is also observed in other countries (with dengue), number of cases have been continuously increasing. It’s a global phenomenon,” said Dr Rose, who is also an epidemiologist.
The ministry’s data also showed there were 145 dengue hotspots in the country, with Selangor having the highest number of hotspots at 107. Other hotspots are in Johor (23), Perak (9), and Penang (3), while Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, and Sabah have one each.
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How to avoid dengue fever, you ask? By first preventing Aedes mosquito from breeding.
In case you don’t know what it looks like, the Aedes mosquito is easily identifiable by the distinctive black and white stripes on its body. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water, where it likes to breed, in your home/surroundings.
Other places to check are:
It also helps to stay in air-conditioned or well-screened housing, and it’s particularly important to keep mosquitoes out at night.
Sources: The Star Online, dengue.gov.sg / Featured image from news.c.
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