Dengue cases in Kedah recorded a 387.1 per cent increase, involving a total of 867 cases as of Saturday (March 18) compared to only 178 cases for the same period last year.
State Health and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman said the increase was considered quite high but the situation was still under control with no deaths reported thus far.
“Until March 18, a total of 82 outbreaks were recorded compared to 18 for the same period last year. Of the 82 outbreaks, 57 have ended, 24 are still active and one is a hotspot outbreak.
“From Jan 1 to March 18, a total of 74,257 premises were inspected and 1,812 compounds with a value of RM885,917 were issued under the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act (APSPP) 1975 to owners of premises that were found to be breeding Aedes mosquitoes,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Mohd Hayati said with the increase in dengue infections in Kedah, public involvement in epidemic and case-control efforts is essential.
“The public needs to shoulder the responsibility of carrying out environmental cleaning activities as well as finding and destroying breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes in their homes and premises,” he said. – Bernama