91 deaths due to dengue so far this year
SUNGAI PETANI: A total of 27,400 cases and 91 deaths due to dengue have been reported between January and yesterday, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said the death toll reported so far this year, which involved mostly adults, was higher than the number recorded last year, which was 88.
Last week alone (July 18-24), seven deaths due to dengue were reported from 1,071 cases, the highest weekly cases recorded so far, he told reporters after visiting the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here Monday.
He said prevention programmes and enforcement operations, especially in 34 identified hotspots, would be intensified as 80 per cent of premises inspected so far in the these places were found to have Aedes mosquito breeding grounds.
Selangor still has the highest number of dengue hotspots with 17, followed by Johor (6), Kuala Lumpur (6) and Sarawak (5).
Meanwhile, Liow also called on the public to register as organ donors.
He said there were over 20,000 kidney patients in the country and half of them were in need of a new kidney.
"However, only 39 people registered as heart donors last year while just 18 others registered to donate their kidneys. The government is hoping that more Malaysians will register as organ donors," he said.
Liow was accompanied by Kedah Health Department director Dr. Marzukhi Mat Isa during the visit.
- BERNAMA
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