A total of 357 dengue fever cases with one death were reported in the 24th week, for the period between June 10 and 16, which saw an increase of three cases, from 354 cases the previous week.

Health director-general Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said five states reported an increase in the number of dengue cases, namely Perlis, with an increase of five cases or 250 percent increase from the previous week, Negri Sembilan (five cases - 125 percent), Perak (13 cases - 56 percent), Kelantan (five cases - 38 percent) and Kedah (four cases - 23 percent).

He said this brought to 11,063 the number of accumulated dengue cases reported since January until June 16 this year, an increase of 17 percent or 1,610 cases, from 9,453 cases reported during the corresponding period last year.

“During the same period, 22 deaths due to dengue were reported, comprising in Selangor, with 11 fatalities, the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (three), Perak (two) and one each in Kedah, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Johor, Pahang and Sabah,” he said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the one of the fatalities in Selangor was a 31-year-old security guard.

During the period, 66 localities in 17 districts were identified with the dengue epidemic and one of them, Kg Baru Seberang Takir in Kuala Terengganu, was a dengue hotspot, he added.

- Bernama