Malaysia dengue cases top 18,000, experts predict 60,000 this year
The number of dengue fever cases in Malaysia during the first two months of 2014 has been a dramatic increase as compared to the same period last year, according to a report on The Star this week.
Averaging approximately 2,000 cases a week, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said as of Feb 28, 18,047 dengue cases and 36 deaths were reported throughout the country compared with 4,250 cases and eight deaths for the first two months of 2013.
Health experts in Malaysia are also making the dire prediction that the country may see 60,000 dengue cases this year.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the health authorities made the alarming projection yesterday based on last year’s trend of dengue cases which saw a 98 per cent increase or 43,346 cases compared to 21,900 in 2012.
“We cannot take the matter lightly. This is obviously a dangerous situation,” he said.
The state of Selangor has reported the most dengue cases this year tallying 9,946 cases to date. This compares with the Jan.1- Feb. 28, 2013 total of 1,877. Other states are also reporting increases.
Dr. Subramaniam attributes the increase to the change in the variation of the dengue virus. The strain currently circulating in the country is DEN-2, a more virulent strain than usually seen.
The government is calling on the assistance from the public in dealing with garbage and removing things that may become a mosquito breeding ground.
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of five (researchers recently identified a fifth dengue subtype, the first in 50 years) related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infectionsworldwide every year. However, new research from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust, using cartographic approaches, estimate there to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.
There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).
There is not a vaccine for dengue fever. There is no treatment for dengue, just treat the symptoms.
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