KUALA LUMPUR, 14 May 2009: Five deaths due to dengue fever were recorded in the week ending 9 May, raising to 48 the number of people who have died of the disease so far this year.
Director General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said there was also a rise in the number of dengue fever cases in the country during that week, to 874 from 870 in the previous week, ending 2 May.
“The number of cumulative cases so far this year is 19,275 compared to 13,891 with 33 deaths in the same period last year,” he said in a statement today.
He said seven states recorded an increase in the number of cases so far this year, with Kedah registering nine, Kelantan eight, Johor 23, Penang 22, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya 20, Malacca three and Perak 13.
Up to 9 May, sixty-three hotspots were reported, with 57 of the localities in Selangor, four in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and the rest in Johor, he said.
“The people in these localities are advised to keep their houses and surroundings clean and destroy breeding places of the Aedes mosquito, carrier of the dengue virus,” he said.
Mohd Ismail said 579 compound fines totalling RM68,850 were imposed and 201 clean-up notices were issued nationwide in the week ending 9 May to owners of premises found to harbour Aedes breeding places and potential breeding places.
He said 71% of the houses and shops inspected were found to harbour Aedes breeding places, as well as 19% of factories, 17% of burial grounds and road dividers, and 14% of construction sites.
“This shows that a large number of people are not yet sensitive to the danger of Aedes breeding places in their houses and surroundings.
“The gotong-royong (self-help) activities have not achieved their target because only 70% of the targeted 76 activities could be undertaken last week,” he said.
On Chikungunya, Mohd Ismail said 96 cases were reported for the week ending 9 May compared to 71 in the previous week.
“Five states recorded a rise in the number of cases, namely Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya and Sarawak,” he said.
He said the number of cumulative cases of Chikungunya up to 9 May was 1,609. No deaths had been reported. — Bernama
Main says
I guess because of those puny insects, it’s somebody else’s fault,huh? The level of awareness, I think, made those in authority have a “field day” for most of their working hours.