Malaysia's dengue deaths mount
Pastor Dale Morgan
Malaysia's dengue deaths mount*
* Story Highlights
* Official: Malaysia recorded 30,285 dengue cases so far this year
with 65 deaths
* Most cases in Selangor, Kelantan, Johor and the capital, Kuala
Lumpur, he says
* Malaysia's health minister blames people for not getting act together
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Reuters) -- Deaths from dengue fever in Malaysia
have risen by a third so far this year, and health authorities said on
Friday that the worst is yet to come.
The mosquito-borne virus has killed hundreds in Southeast Asia this
year, prompting the World Health Organization to warn that the Western
Pacific region could be at risk from a major dengue outbreak.
Malaysia recorded 30,285 dengue cases so far this year with 65 deaths,
up from 20,258 cases and 49 deaths in the first seven months of 2006,
said Hasan Abdul Rahman, director of the Health Ministry's Diseases
Control Division.
"There is a rising trend of dengue cases across the country," he said in
a statement.
He said the bulk of the cases were in the states of Selangor, Kelantan,
Johor and the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
The dengue virus has also spread rapidly in Cambodia, Indonesia,
Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam this year due to warmer weather, heavy
rains and crowded cities.
The virus, which is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, causes
severe fever, headaches, rashes and muscle and joint pain. Severe forms
can cause haemorrhagic fever. There is no vaccine.
Malaysia's health minister blamed the people for not getting their act
together.
"These selfish people like to blame others whenever there are dengue
cases in their areas," Chua Soi Lek was quoted by the New Straits Times
as saying. "They blame the authorities for failing to collect rubbish on
time and for stagnant drains."