KUALA TERENGGANU (BERNAMA) – Malaysia recorded 63,966 dengue fever cases with 45 fatalities recorded from January to mid-July this year, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
She said the number of cases rose by 129.2 per cent from 27,914 cases in the same period last year, while death cases increased by 136.8 per cent (19 cases).
“Speaking of environmental cleanliness, dengue fever is one of the illnesses that can be a constant concern. So to stop Aedes mosquitoes from breeding, everyone must take responsibility for maintaining a clean environment,” she said in her speech at Padang Hiliran People’s Housing yesterday.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Zaliha said the ministry was looking at the effectiveness of the current strategy of controlling dengue through the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.
“We have implemented this initiative in 28 areas, with success rates ranging from 30 to 100 per cent. We plan to continue monitoring its effectiveness for a year or two, and if it proves successful, we will roll it out nationwide,” she said.
