Dengue Cases Decline to 1,794 with No Deaths Reported

The recent report from Putrajaya brings encouraging news on the dengue front. During Epidemiological Week 37, from September 8 to 14, 2024, dengue cases in the region saw a noticeable decline, dropping to 1,794 cases from the previous week’s tally of 1,870. Notably, there were no deaths reported due to dengue complications that week.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan confirmed these figures and noted that while the number of cases has fallen, the cumulative total for the year remains significant at 100,236 cases. This is a sizeable increase compared to the 84,865 cases reported during the same period last year. Additionally, he mentioned that while 89 deaths have occurred this year due to dengue, this marks an increase from the 59 deaths recorded during the same timeframe in 2023.

The number of hotspot localities for dengue also witnessed a decline, falling to 43 from the previous week’s 53. Of these, Selangor accounted for the majority with 32 hotspots, followed by three each in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and Perak. Additionally, there were two hotspots each in Negri Sembilan and Penang, and one in Kelantan.

On the topic of chikungunya, Dr. Muhammad Radzi noted that no new cases or outbreaks were identified in the same period, with the cumulative number of cases standing at 72 for the year. Similarly, Zika virus surveillance showed no positive results among the 1,934 blood samples, eight urine samples, and three cerebrospinal fluid samples tested.

To enhance early detection, Dr. Muhammad Radzi emphasized the use of a combo rapid test kit for suspected dengue cases, which provides results in just 20 to 30 minutes. This timely detection method is crucial in preventing fatalities from dengue fever complications.