Now that the number of daily COVID-19 cases is positively decreasing, another seasonal virus is making headlines as the number of new cases have slowly been increasing.
The Ministry of Health took to their Twitter page (June 8) to warn Malaysians that they can expect a spike in the number of dengue cases between the period of early June until September this year.
Health director-general, Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah during a live briefing (8 June), said: “The number of dengue cases has seen an upward trend for the past six weeks, in which there is an average increase of 8% every week.”
According to the statement on Twitter, “11% of the 84 dengue-related deaths this year are caused by late treatment. The ministry suspects that there will be a rise in Dengue fever cases in a second wave that will start in early June based on a trend of cases over the past five years.”
According to The Star, Dr. Noor Hisham also cautioned the public of mosquitoes’ breeding grounds, adding that “Malaysians are advised to increase the maintenance of hygiene in all areas, especially reservoirs.”
“As many more social, education, religious, and business sectors are expected to be re-opened, there is a high possibility that such places which have long been closed and vacated are at risk of becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” he said.
Dengue fever is not something we’d want to take for granted!
So, regularly clean your kitchen and bathroom, or if you have a garden make sure to reduce any unnecessary collection of water such as plant plates, old tires, bottles, or buckets.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
