Weekly dengue cases up 7.9%, 3 deaths recorded

The number of dengue fever cases increased by 7.9% to 2,638 cases in the 21st epidemiological week (ME21) from May 21 to 27, compared to 2,444 cases reported in the previous week.

Health director-general Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said three deaths were also recorded for the said week.

He said the cumulative number of dengue cases reported to date was 46,257 compared to 17,496 cases recorded in the same period last year, which is an increase of 164.4%.

There were 31 deaths due to dengue complications reported compared to only 10 deaths for the same period last year, he said in a statement today.

According to Radzi, 72 hotspots were reported this week compared to 77 in the previous week, with 53 localities in Selangor, Penang (eight), Sabah (five), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (four), and one each in Kedah and Perak, respectively.

Meanwhile, he said chikungunya surveillance has recorded three cases in ME21, two cases from Selangor and one from Kedah, meaning the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 134 cases.

For Zika surveillance, a total of 1,139 blood samples and 53 urine samples were screened and the results were all negative.

Radzi said the number of dengue fever cases within 200 metres and the outbreak status of an area can now be accessed through the iDengue application or the iDengue website link at https://idengue.mysa.gov.my/.