Dengue claimed five lives in four states between Sept 26 and Oct 2, Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said Wednesday.
He said two women, aged 21 and 49, died in Kuantan and Temerloh, Pahang while a 45-year-old woman died in Masjid Tanah, Melaka.
“The other two deaths involved 10-year-old schoolgirls in Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu) and Sungai Buloh, Selangor,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
Dr Mohd Ismail (picture) said that since January, the death toll due to dengue had increased by 65 per cent or 46 deaths as compared to the whole of last year.
So far, 117 deaths have been reported as compared to 71 recorded the whole of last year.
Dr Mohd Ismail said the number of dengue cases reported between January and Oct 2, this year was 37,419, an increase by 17 per cent or 5,411 cases, as compared with 32,008 cases reported during the same period last year.
“A total of 209 dengue localities are being monitored nationwide, 31 of which were identified as dengue hotspots last week. Seventeen or 55 per cent of these hotspots still have an active aedes breeding rate,” he said.
As for Chikungunya, Dr Mohd Ismail said only two cases were reported between Sept 26 and Oct 2, an increase of one case from the previous week.
The two cases were reported in Penang and Sarawak.
Dr Mohd Ismail said so far, 779 Chikungunya cases were reported this year, which showed a decline by 76 per cent or 2,479 cases, as compared to 3,258 cases reported last year.- BERNAMA
