NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported Thursday that the cumulative number of dengue cases reported to date is 12,942 cases compared to 9,270 cases for the same period in 2021, an increase of 3,672 cases (39.6%).

This includes 1,021 cases of dengue reported the last week of April 2022.

The cumulative number of dengue deaths up to is seven (7) deaths, an increase of two (2) deaths (40%) compared to five (5) deaths for the same period of 2021.

Dengue is a viral infectious disease that is spread through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Patients may experience symptoms such as fever, red rash on the skin, headache, pain in the back of the eyes, joint pain, muscle pain, bleeding under the skin, nose, and gums.

MOH advises the community:

Make sure residential homes are free of mosquito breeding grounds by cleaning or disposing of containers that can hold water, make sure roof drainage is always flowing, make sure water tanks, and water catchment containers are always closed or sprinkled with pesticides or larvae killer; and
Use repellent to prevent Aedes mosquito bites when outdoors. MOH would also like to advise medical practitioners that:

Patients with persistent fever should perform a full blood count on the 3rd day and; If a patient is suspected of having Dengue fever based on clinical features and blood tests, the patient should be given a dengue alert card and perform a dengue combo test.