Community effort needed to stop rise in dengue cases

ARE there any updates on the dengue cases in Kuala Lumpur?

Yap Min Li, Jln Cochrane

Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail: Dengue is always a threat, particularly to those who view the scourge with a casual attitude.

This often spells disaster when it can be avoided effectively if people are alert and put the right measures in place.

City Hall, in the meantime, will keep up with its routine inspections and put in measures to curb the dengue menace.

Nonetheless, by keeping one's environment clean, lives can be saved.

Recently, there has been a rise in dengue cases and fatalities.

Areas where there have been outbreaks of dengue have also been on the rise.

I am glad that residents like Min Li are concerned about this issue, which if dealt properly, will give all of us peace of mind.

The current dengue hotspot is in Taman Melati, where four cases have been reported in 34 days.   The present 20 dengue localities comprise two new ones, 17 controlled outbreak, and one hotspot.

They are divided according to Parliamentary constituencies: Bandar Tun Razak -- three controlled outbreak localities and one new outbreak locality; Cheras -- one new outbreak locality; Titiwangsa -- three controlled outbreak localities; Batu -- three controlled outbreak localities; Wangsa Maju -- two controlled outbreak localities; and one hotspot; Setiawangsa -- three controlled outbreak localities; Lembah Pantai -- two controlled outbreak localities; Seputeh -- 1 controlled outbreak locality; and Bukit Bintang with one controlled outbreak locality.

There were 702 dengue fever cases from January to April 7 compared with 416 cases in the same period last year.

So far, there have been two deaths this year, and two deaths reported last year.

The message I would like to share with KLites is that your cooperation in keeping your house and surroundings clean is of utmost importance.

All that is needed is for us to spend 10 minutes a week getting rid of mosquito-breeding grounds.

Ensure that the area around your house is clean and waste is disposed of frequently and in a responsible manner.

To eradicate the dengue problem, City Hall works closely with agencies like the Health Ministry, our own Public Housing Department and, of course, with the much needed cooperation of residents.

When the City Hall Health and Environment Department comes to fog your area, please allow them to fog your homes.

This is to eradicate all Aedes mosquitoes   in the area.

I understand that many house occupants fear that the chemicals used in the fogging is harmful to them.

Previously, we used an oil-based chemical which left stains and an unpleasant smell in homes but now we use that for outdoors only.

A water-based chemical that does not have any after-effects is now used for indoor fogging.

Finally, I would like to assure tourists that although there is a rise in dengue outbreak localities, everything is being done to bring it under control and the new hotspots are few and far from the city centre.

The responsibility of eradicating the dengue menace lies with all of us -- it is a collective responsibility.

Let us move towards achieving a dengue-free city!

Community effort needed to stop rise in dengue cases

ARE there any updates on the dengue cases in Kuala Lumpur?

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