Drop in dengue-related deaths this year

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KUALA LUMPUR: There has been a dip in the number of deaths caused by dengue, so far this year, as compared to the same period last year, Health director-general Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said yesterday.

He said eight deaths were reported since January — a decrease of 81 per cent or 35 deaths — as compared to 43 recorded between January and March last year.

Similarly, there was a drop in dengue cases last week as compared to the previous week, he said in a statement here yesterday.

Between March 20 and 26, Dr Hasan said the authorities recorded 301 dengue cases, indicating a drop of 56 cases.

In the previous week, 357 cases were reported.

Dr Hasan said that between January and March 26, this year, 5,160 dengue cases were reported, indicating a 58 per cent or 6,997 cases drop as compared to 12,157 cases reported during the same period last year.

Seven states showed an increase in cases last week in comparisan to the previous week.

They are the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, with an increase of 14 cases, Sabah (three), Terengganu (three), Kedah (two), Kelantan (two), Labuan (one) and Negeri Sembilan (one).

Dr Hasan said throughout last week, 56 localities at 17 districts were monitored nationwide, with eight considered as ‘hotspots’ involving 89 dengue cases last week as compared to only three ‘hotpots’ in the previous week.

He said the five new localities reported last week in Selangor were Seksyen 18 (Terrace A 18/16B) in Petaling, Section 4 Bandar Rinching (Hulu Langat), Bandar Country Homes Fasa 13 and Taman Hijau Rawang in Gombak.

On Chikugunya, one new case was reported in Sabah from March 20 to 26, bringing the number of cases to 11, this year.

The figure is a 98 per cent drop as compared to 500 cases recorded during the same period last year. — Bernama