SUNGAI PETANI: Kedah has recorded nearly 20 per cent jump in dengue cases with four deaths in the third week of April.
State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman Major (R) Mansor Zakaria said 1,550 cases were recorded during epidemiology week (epid week) 16/2024, which was between April 14 to April 20, compared with 1,301 cases reported in the same period last year.
"The number of cases during the period has soared by 249 cases, or 19.1 per cent jump, compared with the same period last year," he said.
"Four deaths from dengue were also recorded in epid week 16 this year, as opposed to none in the same period last year," he said after visiting Taman Sejati Indah here today, which had been identified as a local hotspot.
He added that in tandem with the spike, the number of dengue outbreaks had also jumped from 121 to 136, an increase of 12.4 per cent in epid week 16 this year compared with last year.
Mansor said the Taman Sejati Indah housing area here had recorded 82 cases, comprising 68 outbreak cases and 14 sporadic cases.
He added that towards the end of epid week 16, a total 18 dengue outbreaks were reported in the state, and all of them had been brought under control.
"The Kuala Muda district recorded the highest number with 12 localities, followed by three in Kulim, two in Yan and one in Kota Star.
"Meanwhile, two locality outbreak hotspots were identified in Kedah, and both are located in Kuala Muda district," he said.
Mansor said the main contributor to the spike in dengue cases was abandoned houses, which had turned into breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, besides a lack of cooperation among residents when health workers conducted door-to-door inspections.
In response to the spike in dengue cases, he said the state Health Department, with the cooperation of the state government, would be rolling out a QR code for self-inspection to encourage owners to inspect their properties for Aedes mosquitoes.