In Asia, we see varying situations with dengue fever in 2014, with some countries seeing dramatic increases and others reporting much appreciated decreases in the mosquito borne virus.
Malaysia, Taiwan and Guangdong Province in southern China have seen significant jumps in dengue this year.
In Malaysia, the case count has exceeded 95,000 as of Dec. 2, according to the Malaysian government. For the same period last year, the archipelago saw over 31,000, or a third of 2014’s numbers. Some experts blame the dengue epidemic in the country on public apathy.
Dr Muhamad Hazizi Muhammad Hasani, who is operations director of the Malaysian Integrated Medical Professionals Association said, “Residents around dengue hot spots refuse to change their habits and that is causing the number of dengue cases to rise every day.”
Taiwan has also seen a dramatic increase in cases in 2014. As of Tuesday, a total of 13,919 Taiwan residents have contracted dengue fever in 2014, with 17 deaths reported, according to the Taiwan CDC.
In China’s Guangdong Province the outbreak is now slowing; however, not before more than 44,000 confirmed cases were recorded, making 2014 the worst outbreak in the province in two decades.
In what is considered a dengue hotspot year after year, the Philippines is seeing a big reduction in dengue cases this year. Using the Central Luzon area of the country as a small example, The Department of Health (DOH) recorded a 34.7 percent decrease in dengue cases in Central Luzon from January to the second week of November this year compared to the same period last year.
Singapore case count is 17,432 as of Monday, including 5 deaths–a decrease from the record year of 2013. And as with any infectious disease, no one is immune, so to speak. It has been report that Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC Baey Yam Keng is currently being hospitalized for a bout with dengue, according to his Instagram page.
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