Malaysia: Over 121,000 dengue fever cases reported as of December 5 /update 24

Event

Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has recorded at least 121,268 cases of dengue fever across the country as of Thursday, December 5. The states of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor remain most affected by the outbreak. At least 164 people have died from the disease between January 1 and November 30 this year. Information on disease hot spots, preventative measures, and contact information for medical facilities can be found on the government-run iDengue website here.

Further spread of the disease is expected over the near term.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals in Malaysia are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - for example, by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito netting or in an air-conditioned room - and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).