(From left) Dr Ummi Kalthom, Dr Siti Mariah and Dr Sukhvinder at the press conference on the special dengue operation.
SELANGOR recorded a 141% increase in dengue cases between January and Feb 11, compared to the same corresponding period last year.
Four districts with the highest number of dengue hotspots are Petaling recording 203 localities and Hulu Langat with 120 localities. Klang came in third and Gombak is in fourth place with 82 and 69 localities respectively.
In view of the alarming figures, Selangor Health Department (JKNS) has initiated the Selangor Dengue Integrated Operation (OBDS).
State public health committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said the operation, which started on Feb 15, would continue until March 22.
She said Aedes mosquitoes were able to breed in the most unlikely places such as bottle caps, abandoned cars, rooftops and gutters.
“A RM500 compound will be issued to the premises’ owner if a mosquito breeding ground is found. JKNS and local authority officers are empowered to issue the compound.
“Community gardens will be demolished if mosquito breeding grounds are found,” she warned.
Local authorities, land and district offices, district health departments, information department as well as dengue-related volunteer agencies would be involved in the integrated operation, said Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud.
“Local authorities will put up banners at hotspots to remind residents on the need to take immediate action to prevent the increasing number of cases,” she said.
She further said that there would be a community-level dengue-free competition at hotspot areas.
Dr Siti Mariah reminded that it took only 10 minutes a week for residents to clear up possible mosquito breeding grounds to avoid being slapped with the RM500 compound.
JKNS public health deputy director Dr Ummi Kalthom Shamsudin said now was the perfect time to carry out the operation based on the dengue cycle in the past.
“Based on dengue cycles in Malaysia for the past 20 years, there will be an increase in cases every four to five years.
“In 2019, there were 72,543 dengue cases and the statistics for last year was 37,545 cases in Selangor,” she said.
JKNS Vector-borne Disease Control Unit’s Dr Sukhvinder Singh said Selangor saw 56 dengue-related deaths in 2019, and two deaths had been recorded so far this year.
“If a female mosquito can survive for 30 days, then it can lay 300 eggs throughout its time,” he added.
