Steep drop in dengue fever cases in Selangor

The Star

10-07-2025

SELANGOR has recorded a 66.1% drop in cumulative dengue fever cases up to July 5 this year, compared to the same period in 2024.
State public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said a total of 13,685 dengue cases were reported, down from 40,313 cases during the corresponding period last year.
'A total of five dengue-related deaths have been recorded so far, compared to 12 fatalities in the same period last year,' she said during the Selangor state legislative assembly sitting at Bangunan Dewan Negeri Selangor in Shah Alam today (July 10).
She said this in response to question by Syed Ahmad Abdul Rahman Alhadad (PH-Lembah Jaya) on dengue awareness campaigns and preventative measures.
She said the decline in dengue cases was the result of the coordinated efforts by various stakeholders, namely the Selangor health department, local authorities, district and land offices and non-governmental organisations in the implementation of dengue control and prevention programmes.
Jamaliah also said that the people who live in areas identified as dengue hotspots could take preventive measures to protect themselves, such as using mosquito repellent sprays or lotions.
She also warned young adults, particularly those in their 30s and with underlying health conditions, not to take fevers lightly.
There was a common presumption that only children, the elderly, and pregnant women were at higher risk of fatality from dengue, she said.
'Some of the dengue-related fatalities involved adults in their 30s who had pre-existing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
'There is a tendency among young adults to dismiss fevers as something minor,' she said, adding that early medical treatment could significantly reduce fatality rates.
In response to an additional question from Dr Quah Perng Pei(PH-Bandar Baru Klang) on the availability of the dengue vaccine as a preventive measure, Jamaliah said the state was not encouraging its use at present, as it was still new to Malaysia.
Although the vaccine was an effective preventive measure, she said the side effects were not conclusive as they need at least five years to collect and analyse the data.
StarMetro, in an article dated June 14 last year titled 'No plans for wider roll-out of dengue vaccine in Selangor', quoted Jamaliah as stating that the Qdenga vaccine, which offered protection against all four dengue virus serotypes, was officially launched on June 11 last year and had been available in private clinics and hospitals since mid-May of the same year.