Dengue claims 17 lives in Perak since January

IPOH: Seventeen deaths due to dengue were reported in Perak since January, State Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integrity and New Village Development Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said.
He said the last two deaths were recorded two days ago.
Dr Mah said the death toll clearly showed an obvious increase as compared to only seven deaths reported in the corresponding period last year.
"The cumulative number of dengue cases in Perak had increased by 98.6% to 6,267 cases so far this year compared to 3,155 cases reported in the corresponding period last year," he told reporters after chairing the meeting with Aedes Task Force here today.
Also present were Perak Health director Datuk Juita Ghazalie and Ipoh Mayor Datuk Zamri Man.
However, he said the dengue fever cases in Perak was showing a declining trend when the number recorded in the 29th week this year was lower than the number reported last year.
Meanwhile, Dr Mah said Kampung Dato Ahmad Said Tambahan Dua in Manjoi here was no longer listed as a dengue hot spot in Malaysia following a major decline in the number of dengue cases reported in the village over the past few weeks.
The village was delisted on July 19 following success of gotong-royong activity carried out by the Aedes Task Force, as well as the residents' efforts to eliminate all aedes breeding grounds, he said.
He said they were currently focusing on doing the same in Taman Cempaka, where the State Health Department would be carrying out the X-Aedes cleaning operation.
Dr Mah stressed that 8,000 mosquito coils would also be distributed free of charge to 3,712 owners of houses and business premises in the area.
He said dengue became an issue in the area as there were 75 unoccupied and 310 abandoned houses which had turned into aedes breeding grounds. – Bernama