Malaysia reports slight increase in dengue in 2024

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 1,342 dengue fever cases and two deaths due to dengue complications during the week ending December 7, bringing the total for the year to 118,291, with 111 deaths.

This is a slight 3.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023 (114,365 cases and 87 deaths).

Health director-general, Datuk Dr. Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan warned that continuous rainfall and flood debris could lead to an increase in water containers, which serve as breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes.

“Therefore, communities must remain vigilant and take proactive preventive measures, including ensuring that all potential breeding containers are promptly eliminated through community clean-up activities immediately after floodwaters recede,” he advised.

Dengue is a disease caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites. The disease can take up to 2 weeks to develop with illness generally lasting less than a week.

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Symptoms from dengue include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle and joint pain, and minor bleeding.

Dengue can become severe within a few hours. Severe dengue is a medical emergency, usually requiring hospitalization.

In severe cases, health effects can include hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and death.