KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- A 66-year-old senior citizen in Perak
became the latest dengue casualty last week.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hassan Abdul Rahman said with the
housewife''s case, the death toll reached 21 last Wednesday, an increase by seven
compared to 14 fatalities for the same period last year.
"The victim was admitted to a government hospital with fever, joint pains,
vomiting and purging. She died of hemorrhaging dengue fever.
"An inspection of her house compound revealed Aedes mosquitoes breeding in
plastic food containers," he said in a statement here today.
The neighbours carried out a gotong-royong to clean up the place and destroy
the Aedes breeding places, two days after her death, he added.
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DENGUE-DEATH 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR
They were 10,706 dengue cases between January and June 9 this year, an
increase of 18 per cent or 1,627 cases in comparison with the same period last
year.
Dr Hassan said 72 locations throughout the country were experiencing an
epidemic but no hot spots have been reported yet.
"Gotong-royong activities need to be stepped up to destroy Aedes breeding
grounds, particularly in the state with the highest number of epidemic locations
such as Selangor," he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Hasan said the Health Ministry and Remote Sensing Agency
Malaysia signed a collaboration note on Monday at Putrajaya to enhance the
quality of dengue epidemic monitoring and controlling by developing a Geographic
Information System based Dengue Epidemic Management System.
"The web-based system implements fast and effective control activities and
can be used at district, state and national levels," he said.
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NMA NAK PA