Wet season brings danger

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have more to fear from dengue than from the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, especially during the current raining season, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said 10 deaths had been recorded from dengue in the past two weeks while the last A(H1N1) victim – the 89th death since the outbreak last year – died on June 23.
He said although the ministry would continue to monitor the virus, dengue was serious with the increase in the number of fatalities.
“As at July 4, there were 24,240 cases with 81 deaths, as compared to 25,234 cases with 62 deaths in the same period last year. Selangor has the highest number – 10,699 cases with 34 deaths.
“Although the number of cases has dropped slightly, fatalities have increased. We are concerned about it,” he said, adding that there were 88 deaths from 41,486 dengue cases last year.
Liow told reporters after launching Faber Medi-Serve Sdn Bhd’s coffee table book that he had instructed all hospitals and doctors to be on high alert following the rise in fatalities during the raining season.
“Dengue cases always peak during the raining season. The months of June, July and end of the year always record the highest number of dengue cases. This is the trend.
“Doctors should take more initiative and act faster when treating patients with dengue fever. Patients should not take the disease lightly and seek treatment at once,” he said, adding that 26% of those who died last year only sought treatment three days after coming down with high fever.
“Dengue patients have a chance of recovering if proper treatment is given on time. Do not drag on until it is too late,” he said.
Liow said the ministry would launch its Let’s Destroy Aedes Campaign in Kajang this Satur­day to get the public involved in combating dengue; such as carrying out gotong-royong activities to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in villages, housing estates and towns.
He had also instructed enforcement officers to conduct checks at all construction sites to prevent Aedes mosquitoes from breeding.
He added that the ministry worked closely with local councils in combating the dengue problem.
Besides the health alert and the enforcement on construction sites, he said the ministry’s operations room would now be open on weekends as well.
Liow said the ministry also wanted the public to be aware that besides dengue, the rainy season could likely bring about cases of chikugunya and malaria, both of which were also mosquito-borne diseases.

His warning came on the back of an announcement by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) yesterday that La Nina had developed in tropical Pacific and was likely to strengthen in the coming months.
The weather phenomenon – the opposite of El Nino, which brings about drier conditions – can bring about strong rainfall in Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia as well as drought in South America.
The last time La Nina hit in 2008, icy conditions across Europe claimed dozens of lives.
“Following the rapid dissipation of El Nino in May this year, cool neutral to weak La Nina conditions have developed in the Pacific. These conditions are more likely than not to strengthen into a basin-wide La Nina over the coming months,” the WMO said on its website.
However, the United Nations weather agency said the “timing and magnitude of such an event this year are yet uncertain”.