Sarawak To Launch Anti-Dengue Campaign Next Month

KUCHING, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- A massive anti-dengue campaign will be launched in Sarawak on Nov 13 in a bid to prevent a major outbreak in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said the campaign, to be named "Destroy Aedes Campaign", was aimed, among others, at encouraging the people from all walks of life to act against dengue infection by actively destroying their breeding grounds.
"Based on the number of dengue cases in Sarawak, we are very worried as it had increased," Dr Chan, who is also the state's disaster relief and management committee chairman, told reporters after chairing the committee's meeting to discuss the dengue and Avian Influenza problems.
He said that most of the cases were reported in the major urban towns like Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu, which accounted for 56.1 per cent of the total cases in Sarawak.
There was also an increasing trend of rural dengue, he said, adding that Sarikei Division was the worst affected with more than 20 cases reported.
There was a possibility that some of the cases were infected from other districts or states or other countries such as Indonesia but the number was small, he added.
He said that as of today there were seven dengue deaths involving five women and two men aged between 20 and 69.
"Based on the initial observation also, logging camps had been found to be a breeding ground for aedes mosquitoes, "he said.
On efforts to prevent an Avian Influenza outbreak in Sarawak, Dr Chan said security measures along the border between Kalimantan and Sarawak had been tightened.
Among the measures being implemented were restricting the movements of birds within the borders and banning the import of birds from countries that had confirmed cases.
He said the State Veterinary Services Department had been directed to conduct a mock exercise on suitable ways to destroy birds that had been confirmed to be infected by Avian Influenza.
"Every government agency will be involved in this exercise," he said, adding that it would be done as soon as possible Despite the global fears, he gave an assurance that the situation was still under control and had been put under Level One category.
Level One category involves precautionary measures to prevent spreading from neighbouring countries while Level Two is the alarming stage which involves precautionary measures to prevent serious spreading within the country.