Dengue cases drop nationwide from Nov 1-7 – ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: Dengue fever cases nationwide recorded a decline of 2,136 cases from November 1 till 7 from 2,157 cases the previous week.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said five states showed an increase in the number of cases, namely Penang which recorded 55 cases, Melaka (20), Kedah (9), Perlis (8) and Sabah (one).

“However the cummulative dengue cases reported from January to November 7 rose to 102,801 cases compared to 86,765 cases for the same period last year, an increase of 16,036 cases,” he said in a statement issued here yesterday. He said six deaths were reported from November 1 to 7, two cases in Perak and one each in Penang, Johor, Pahang and Sabah while cummulative deaths from dengue up to date rose to 283 fatalities compared to 164 for the same period last year, an increase of 119 deaths.

In the 44th week, (November 1 till 7), 800 epidemic localities that were still active were reported in 14 states, with 444 localities in Selangor, Johor (159), Kuala Lumpur Federal Terriority and Putrajaya (57), Penang (39), Perak (27), Negeri Sembilan (17), Melaka (15), Sabah (11) and Pahang (11).

“States that reported less than 10 localities are Kelantan, Sarawak, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis.

“From that number, 116 localities have been identified as hotspots involving six states, namely 64 localities in Selangor, Johor (42), Perak (6), Penang (2) and one each in Sabah and Melaka,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham hoped the national level mega gotong royong programme, organised by the ministry and launched on November 8, would be ongoing to give a postive impact in reducing aedes breeding grounds and curb dengue outbreak in the country. - Bernama