Cases continue to increase despite efforts by Selangor

Star: From fogging to making surprise checks and charging offenders, the Selangor government has done all it can to fight the dengue scourge - but the number of cases continue to rise.
One of the problems, according to state Consumer Affairs, Health and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Dr Lim Thuang Seng, could be the “indiscriminate fogging” that has allowed the aedes mosquitoes to escape.
“We are now looking at using larvae traps to identify the potential breeding areas and using more effective methods.”
The weather has also “encouraged” the breeding, and irresponsible property owners who have “housed” the mosquitoes in their premises have not helped the situation.
From 9,600 reported dengue cases with 10 deaths last year, the figure has reached 9,300 with 17 deaths so far this year.

In Penang, there are now four dengue related deaths but the situation has oddly become a taboo subject with the authorities.
The latest state leader to decline comment is Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
There was no “gag order”, he said but “we have been advised that all statements on dengue will be made by the Health Ministry. It is the most appropriate authority to do so.
“This does not mean that the state is shirking its responsibility. This is to ensure that information is properly co-ordinated by a single authority,” he told reporters yesterday.

In Seremban, state Science, Technology and Innovation committee chairman Datuk Yu Chok Tow said five dengue related deaths had been reported since the beginning of the year, prompting the state government to intensify its preventive measures.
She said 964 cases were recorded since January and that this was a 22% drop compared with the same period last year.

In Ipoh, it was reported that five people in Perak have died of dengue haemorrhagic fever over the past nine months.
State Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Tan Chin Meng said: “A total of 349,633 premises were checked by the state health department and 2,291 were found to be breeding grounds for aedes mosquitoes.”

In Kuantan, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said that although he had not received any report of dengue cases, he had instructed the health department to intensify its checks and fogging activities.