Dengue: Year five pupil becomes Terengganu's first fatality

State Health Department director Dr Mohamad Omar said Nur Istinadiana Che Dollah, a pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Raja Besut, died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ), Kuala Terengganu.

He said the victim suffered early symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose and loss of appetite on May 14 (Sunday), and was treated at a private clinic here.

"However, four days later, the victim's condition deteriorated and her father brought her to Kampung Raja Health Clinic. She was referred to Besut Hospital before being rushed to HSNZ but passed away at 8:02am on Thursday," he told a press conference at the victim''s residence in Kampung Sentosa here today.

He said Nur Istinadiana, the second of five siblings, was the first fatality among the 133 dengue cases recorded this year.

According to Dr Mohamad Omar, there were 1,500 reported cases in the state last year involving 20 deaths.

He said cleaning up and prevention measures were being aggressively carried out in Kampung Sentosa which has now been marked as dengue-prone with four deaths last year.

He said special attention was also being given to Kuala Terengganu, particularly the Kampung Pulau Rusa Hilir area, and Besut, surrounding the Kampung Gelam Mas area, which recorded the highest number of dengue cases among the affected districts.