Dengue cases up with five deaths in epid week 27

PUTRAJAYA: Dengue fever cases rose to 2,805 in the 27th Epidemiological Week (EW27) from June 30 to July 6, compared to 2,788 cases the previous week, with five deaths due to complications.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said the cumulative number of dengue cases reported up to EW27 was 78,068 cases compared to 61,545 for the same period in 2023.

"There were 65 deaths due to dengue fever complications reported, compared to 42 deaths for the same period in 2023," he said in a statement here today.

Dr Muhammad Radzi said 86 hotspot localities were reported in EW27, compared to 78 the previous week.

Out of the 86 reported hotspots, 67 were in Selangor, six in Negeri Sembilan, five in Kedah, three in Perak, two each in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and one in Sarawak.

Six chikungunya cases were also recorded in EW27, bringing the cumulative total to 47 cases.

As for Zika surveillance, he said 1,388 blood samples, seven urine samples and three cerebrospinal fluid samples were screened for Zika, all of which tested negative.

-- BERNAMA