KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — The number of dengue fever cases in the 51st Epidemiological Week of 2022 (EW51/22) from Dec 18 to 24 increased by 3.5 per cent to 2,018 cases compared to 1,950 in the previous week.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a statement today, said one death due to dengue fever complications was also reported during the week.

The cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported so far is 64,078 cases compared to 25,794 cases for the corresponding period in 2021, an increase of 148.4 per cent.

At the same time, a total of 50 deaths due to dengue complications were also reported, compared to 19 deaths during the same period last year.

"Some 58 hotspot localities were reported this week, 32 of which were in Selangor, Sabah (16), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (six) and Penang (four),” he said.

Regarding chikungunya, Dr Noor Hisham said 16 cases were reported in EW51/22, with 10 cases in Penang, Perak and Negri Sembilan (two each) and one case each in Selangor and Pahang.

"As for Zika surveillance, a total of 2,181 blood samples and 18 urine samples were screened, and the results were all negative,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham suggested that the community conduct gotong-royong to end the life cycle of the Aedes mosquito and further reduce the number of dengue fever cases. — Bernama