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Monday March 31, 2008

40 dengue cases daily in Selangor

By EDWARD RAJENDRA


SHAH ALAM: On average there are 40 reported dengue cases daily in Selangor.

From January until March 29 this year, Selangor reported 3,743 cases. Of that figure, dengue fever recorded 3,550 cases while 193 cases were dengue-haemorrhagic fever.

Deaths suspected to be caused by the viral fever stood at 10.

Selangor Health, Estate Workers Affairs, Poverty Eradication and Caring Government chairman Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said the state is concerned with the alarming number of cases being reported.

“Our immediate aim is to reduce the number of cases. In 2007 we had 32 deaths due to dengue-haemorrhagic fever and now we have 10 suspected deaths due to the viral fever,” he said.

Deaths were recorded in Subang Jaya (2), Petaling Jaya (1), Shah Alam (1) Kajang (1), Ampang Jaya (1), Klang (1), Hulu Selangor (2) and Hulu Langat (1).

He added that Shah Alam city recorded 719 cases from January to March 29, the highest in one locality.

“Shah Alam is a modern city, yet you have high statistics. Residents might say not much is being done to clean up the area. But there could be some truth to their statement. Again it also involves the lackadaisical attitude and public’s ignorance on how the disease is spread,” he said.

Xavier said construction sites, abandoned buildings, shop lots and even schools are to be blamed for not checking on areas where water collected and could be a breeding ground for mosquito larvae.

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