Sarawak recorded 1,519 dengue cases last year with one fatality

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KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 1,519 dengue cases last year, with one fatality and 69 outbreaks, an increase of 55.9 per cent or 974 cases over 2011, according to statistics from the state health department here today.

The death was reported at Song in the Kapit division.

Fifty new cases were also reported last week, from Dec 23-29, as compared to 41 in the previous week, including two new outbreak localities reported in the Meradong and Limbang districts.

“The public are advised to have a proper solid waste disposal, eliminate stagnant water in domestic environment and improve water storage practices,” said the department in a statement on the weekly update on dengue cases.

It said divisional health offices had been carrying out health education programmes, like distributing pamphlets and putting up banners, to create awareness on the disease, while fogging, applying insecticide and biological mosquito pesticide in areas with stagnant water that was not easily drained were being carried out as preventive measures.

The public can call the department’s Dengue Operations Room at tel: 082-473200 for inquiries. — Bernama