Malaysia: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide /update 20

Event

Health officials have recorded 80,592 cases of dengue fever in Malaysia between December 30, 2018, and August 6, 2019. The states of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor remain most affected by the outbreak. Authorities are continuing to implement public health measures, including fumigation campaigns aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, to hinder the further spread of the disease.

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 - e.g. 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.).