Malaysia Reports 130,000 Dengue Cases In 2019, Highest Since 2015

Selangor recorded over 72,000 dengue cases.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Last year, Malaysia recorded the highest number of dengue cases in four years at over 130,000, rising 61 per cent from 2018.

A total of 2,694 dengue cases were recorded in the last week of 2019, rising 2.4 per cent from the previous week. This brings the total number of dengue cases in Malaysia for 2019 to 130,101 as of December 28, beating the previous historic high of 120,836 cases reported in the whole year of 2015.

According to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Crisis Preparedness Response Centre (CPRC), there were 80,615 cases for the same period in 2018. Last year’s cases, as of December 28, saw an increase of 61.4 per cent, or 49,486 cases, from the same period in 2018.

Meanwhile, six dengue-related deaths were reported from December 22 to December 28, bringing the total number of deaths to 182 for 2019 so far. The figure was 147 during the same period last year. A total of 336 deaths were recorded in 2015.

Dengue-related deaths for all states and federal territories, excluding Perlis and Labuan, which recorded no deaths, averaged below 60.

Graphic from the Ministry of Health’s Crisis Preparedness Response Centre (CPRC).

The CPRC, in a statement yesterday, also said that Selangor, infamous for dengue cases, still remains at the top of the list of states with cumulative dengue cases for 2019 up to December 28, recording a staggering 72,543 cases, and 56 dengue-related deaths. This is an increase of 60 per cent in dengue cases for the same period in 2018. Selangor recorded 45,349 cases and 41 deaths up to the 52nd week of 2018.

Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya remained in second place, recording 15,424 cases and 10 deaths from January to December 28, 2019, a 103.2 per cent increase in dengue cases from the same period in 2018, where the two federal territories recorded 7,591 cases and 11 deaths.

Johor, Kelantan, and Sabah remained in third, fourth, and fifth places, recording 10,873, 6,003, and 5,478 cases, respectively, during the same period.

The other states and the number of dengue cases recorded last year (as of December 28, 2019) are as follows: Penang (4,119), Perak (3,226), Pahang (2,873), Sarawak (2,648), Negri Sembilan (2,305), Melaka (2,156), Kedah (1,587), Terengganu (542), Perlis (288), and Labuan (36).

Tudan Flat in Miri, Sarawak, recorded the highest number of cases according to district localities, with 59 cases last year as of December 28, followed by Taman Serkam Jaya in Jasin, Melaka (55 cases), and Block H-M at Pangsapuri Baiduri Bandar Tasik Kesuma in Hulu Langat, Selangor (48 cases).

CPRC also said that 55 chikungunya cases were reported from December 22 to 28 last year, bringing the total number of recorded cases for 2019 up to December 28, to 990.

One positive case of zika was also reported during that same week, bringing the number of zika cases from January to December 28, 2019, to one. This came after the National Public Health Lab and Institute of Medical Research screened 2,792 blood samples and 51 urine samples of those suspected to have zika, as part of its zika surveillance.

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