Materia Medica Malaysiana

Malaysia Intensifies Anti-Dengue Measures

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Health workers are stepping up efforts to eliminate the mosquitos that spread dengue fever after the number of infections in parts of Malaysia rose significantly, an official said Tuesday.
About 250 suspected dengue cases were reported each week in Kuala Lumpur over the past month, compared to an average of 100 weekly infections in December 2003, said Ramlee Rahmat, director of the Health Ministry's communicable disease control division.
Similar increases were reported in central Selangor state and the northwestern Penang island, mainly because recent weather conditions have benefited mosquito breeding, Ramlee said.
However, the number of deaths has not climbed significantly, Ramlee added.
Malaysia records about 60 dengue-caused fatalities each year.