After reporting some 120,000 dengue fever cases in 2015, the highest number of cases reported, Malaysia appears to be continuing that treand with summer upon us and the health ministry has reported nearly 50,000 cases through the first five months on 2016.

Aedes aegypti Image/CDC
Aedes aegypti
Image/CDC

From Jan. 1 through May 31, Malaysia has seen 49,830 dengue fever cases, with greater than half reported from Selangor State (26,704). Johor state has seen 6800 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur with 3400.

Through mid-May, 109 dengue related fatalities have been reported.

In the past 50 years, the incidence of dengue worldwide has increased 30-fold, largely as a consequence of the growth of cities and increased travel.

According to a 2013 WHO report between 1955 and 1959, the number of countries reporting cases of dengue increased from three to eight; in 2012, the geographical distribution of dengue included more than 125 countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infections worldwide every year. However,there was 2013 research from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust, using cartographic approaches, estimate there to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.

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