SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) warns of major outbreak of dengue in Sibu this year if no measures were taken to control the situation.
SMC Public Health, Environment and Municipal Services standing committee chairperson Rhoda Ting said this was based on the dengue outbreak cyclic pattern compiled by Sibu Divisional Health Office.
“In Sibu, the four-year cycle of major outbreaks reportedly happened in 1988, 1989, 1993 and 1994.
“Major outbreaks were also reported in 1998, 2002 and 2010. In 2010, there were thousands of cases reported with seven deaths.
“We are now in another four-year cycle of a major outbreak. The major concern now is to prevent major outbreak like that in 2010,” she told an SMC full council meeting yesterday.
She said from January to July 22 this year, the number of dengue cases shot up to 285 from 95 cases last year. It was a 200 per cent increase or 190 cases.
The highest incidences were reported in Zone 7 covering Oya Road, Laichee Lane, Hua Khiew Road, Pigeon Road, Geronggang Road, Nanyang Garden and Hardin Lane areas.
Oya Road, Hua Khiew Road and Pigeon Road had been identified as dengue hotspots.
“There were 75 cases reported in the areas from January to July compared to 33 cases reported in the same period last year.
“Zones 5 and 6 are active outbreak areas with 18 and 23 cases reported respectively so far,” she said.
Areas under Zone 5 are Tong Sang Road, Kapur Road and Lanang Road Lane 1, while Tuanku Osman Road, Blacksmith Road, Mission Road and Sibu Central Market are under Zone 6.
Ting proposed the council carry out an anti-littering campaign especially in Zones 5, 6 and 7 as Sibu Divisional Health Office could not act alone on this.
“We also have to get the community to clean their areas via gotong-royong,” she said.
Earlier, council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King led councillors to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the MH17 tragedy.