Dengue surge in Sarawak

Star: While the dengue situation seems to have waned in other states, Sarawak has detected a 126% increase in cases so far this year.
Seven deaths from dengue fever were reported in the state compared to none last year.
What is worrying the state government is the increase in cases in the rural areas.
And Miri, long thought to have the “antidote” to fight the aedes mosquito, is now the most dengue-prone division in the state with the most number of reported cases.
“There is the possibility of the emergence of a strain of Aedes mosquito that is even hardier and more resilient to current control techniques,” Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam told a press conference.
“We (state authorities) are declaring an all-out war on dengue. As of Thursday, there are 989 reported cases and seven deaths.
“The number of reported cases increased by 126.6% and the number of confirmed dengue fever cases rose by 86% compared to last year.
“This is a very worrying development,'' Dr Chan said.
Dr Chan, who is also Sarawak Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said even oil palm plantations and timber logging zones had reported dengue cases.
He noted that Miri Division had 233 cases.
There were four deaths in Marudi town (some 200km from Miri City).
Two people have also died in Bintulu (220km south of Miri) and one in Belaga (400km from Miri).
Next on the list of dengue hotspots in the state are Kuching (217 cases), Sarikei (136 cases) and Bintulu (109 cases).
Dr Chan said another worrying factor was that 26% of dengue cases came from the rural areas.
“We are very worried because it is much tougher to fight aedes mosquito in the jungles where there are huge breeding areas,” he added.
An urgent meeting had been called among representatives of oil palm plantations and timber firms this coming week.
The unpredictable weather pattern in northern Sarawak is also a major concern.
Dr Chan noted that the alternating hot and wet days now being experienced could favour the breeding of the aedes mosquito.