9.3% increase in dengue cases

The number of dengue cases in the 42nd epidemiological week (ME 42) increased by 137 cases or 9.3% to 1,614 compared to 1,477 recorded in the previous week.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said one death due to dengue fever complications was also reported.

"The cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported thus far is 48,109 compared to 21,308 cases for the same period last year, which is an increase of 26,801 cases (125.8%)," he said in a statement today.

Noor Hisham said 29 deaths due to dengue complications were reported compared to 16 in the same period in 2021 – an increase of 13 deaths (81.3%).

A total of 51 hotspot localities were also reported in ME 42 compared to 53 the week before.

Noor Hisham said 39 of the localities were in Selangor, followed by Sabah (11), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (eight) and one each in Kedah and Melaka.

He said that rain and hot weather create the perfect breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes, and advised the public to check for potential breeding spots around the house.

Regarding chikungunya, Noor Hisham said surveillance recorded a total of seven cases in ME 42 with three cases reported in Penang, two in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and one case each in Selangor and Melaka.

The cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 669.