Description of the Event
Provide any updates in the situation since the field report and explain what is expected to happen.
The IFRC-DREF application described a surge of dengue cases in Malaysia in 2023 up till October, compared to the same timeframe in 2022. Cumulative statistics for the entire year are now available, showing an overall comparison between figures in 2022 and 2023.
Throughout 2023, a total of 123,133 cases were recorded nationwide, marking an 86.3 per cent increase compared to the 66,102 cases reported in 2022. Additionally, the number of deaths attributed to complications from dengue in 2023 totaled 100 cases, reflecting a 78.6 per cent increase compared to the 56 cases in 2022.
Since the beginning of the new year, cases have continued to rise, surpassing 500 cases daily, as projected by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH) in late 2023. In the second epidemiological week of 7-13 January 2024, a total of 3,525 cases were recorded nationwide, with 2 deaths reported. This marked an increase compared to the 3,181 cases in the first week of the year, during which no deaths were reported.
In January 2024, the Health Director-General released a statement, pointing to the Meteorological Department’s forecast of the monsoon season lasting until March. The Health D-G cautioned that the wet season contributes to increased potential breeding areas for Aedes mosquitoes and reminded the public to continue taking preventive steps against dengue.
As of the second epidemiological week of 2024, the number of dengue hotspots across the country rose from 130 to 136 localities, with Selangor being the worst-hit state, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya