Malaysia could record its highest-ever death toll from dengue unless it steps up efforts to eradicate the virus-carrying Aedes mosquito, a top health official warned Tuesday.

Malaysia recorded an all-time high of 102 deaths from dengue in 2004, but figures released Tuesday showed the country was on its way to matching and perhaps exceeding that mark this year.

"If we don't do anything, this is what can happen," said the director of the health ministry's disease control division, Ramlee Rahmat.

"That's why we are creating this awareness, we want everyone to come in and play a part so we can prevent that from happening," Ramlee told AFP.

Malaysia has confirmed 73 dengue deaths in the first nine months of this year, compared to 72 deaths over the same period in 2004.

The figure does not include the reported death on Monday of a poultry farmer in northern Penang state.

Ramlee said 28,592 suspected cases had been reported so far this year, of which 8,216 - or 28 percent - were confirmed as dengue.

The figures are similar to those recorded in 2004 over the same period, when Malaysia saw 22,429 suspected cases with 8,429 confirmed.

Major campaign on

Ramlee said efforts to reduce dengue outbreaks would only yield results in "two or three months", as activities such as spot checks for mosquito breeding grounds are ramped up.

The official said the number of suspected dengue cases had surged by over a third in the last week, with nervous Malaysians reporting fever-related illnesses as a precaution after warnings of a possible outbreak.

Malaysians reported 1,023 suspected dengue cases during the last week to Saturday, compared to 752 cases the week before, he said.

Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said last week that dengue cases were increasing weekly, and the nation would face an outbreak unless efforts to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes were stepped up.

The government has already launched a major campaign to combat the spread of dengue fever, focusing on Kuala Lumpur, Selangor state which surrounds the capital, the high-tech hub of Penang and Johor in the south.

Neighbouring Singapore is battling its worst dengue outbreak on record, which has claimed the lives of 12 people and infected almost 11,000 people.