Dewan Rakyat: Dengue fever cases up by more than 50 percent

There were 29,754 dengue fever cases reported nationwide from January to November 2 this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam said the total dengue fever cases this year rose by 10,000 or more than 50 per cent compared to last year which recorded 18,268 cases.

"From the total, Selangor recorded the highest at about 15,000 cases," he said when replying to a supplementary question from Sim Tong Him (DAP-Kota Melaka).

Subramaniam said a change in the country's climate was among the factors which caused the increasing number of dengue cases.

"At the moment, the most effective measure to reduce dengue fever cases is to destroy aedes mosquito breeding grounds in stagnant water during the rainy season.

"Apart from that, cooperation from all local authorities, local elected representative as well as health clinics are important to ensure mosquito breeding grounds are eliminated and to create public awareness on the dangers of aedes mosquito in carrying the dengue fever virus," he said.

On the status of Genetic Aedes Mosquito (GAM) project carried out by the Health Ministry, Subramaniam said the project was still under consideration and the ministry had no immediate plan to release GAM aedes mosquitoes to prevent dengue outbreak.