PUTRAJAYA: The number of dengue fever cases dropped to 3,781 in the fourth Epidemiological Week (ME04) from Jan 21 to 27, compared with 3,971 reported in the previous week, with seven deaths due to dengue fever complications recorded.
Health director-general, Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, said that the cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported up to ME04 was 14,458 cases, compared with 8,968 reported for the same period last year.
He said that nine deaths due to complications from dengue fever had been reported, compared with four deaths for the same period in 2023.
“The number of hotspot localities reported in ME04 was 148, compared with 127 in the previous week,“ he said, in a statement today.
He added of the 148 localities, 124 are in Selangor, followed by 14 in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan (five), Perak (three) and one locality each in Penang and Sabah.
Dr Muhammad Radzi said that for chikungunya surveillance, no case was recorded in ME04, and the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is two, while for zika surveillance, a total of 149 blood samples were screened and the results were all negative.
He also called on local communities to respond to the ‘One Hour Malaysia Clean Up’ programme, which is carried out on the fourth Saturday of every month, to combat the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes, and to engage in Recreational Garbage Collection (KUDAH) activities with family members.
He said that the activity can improve one’s health and refresh the mind, and indirectly encourage people to carry out their responsibilities to ensure that the environment is maintained clean and free from Aedes breeding grounds. –Bernama