MALARIA cases are on the rise in Sabah, with 1,660 cases reported from January to November 11, this year, the Sabah state legislative assembly was told today.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Edward Yong Oui Fah said it was a 173.5% increase compared to the corresponding period last year.
Yong said the highest number of cases was in Ranau (273), followed by Keningau (270), Tenom (171), Kudat (110) and Nabawan (110).
“Among the control and preventive measures for the disease are early detection and treatment; integrated vector management as well as collaboration with other agencies,” he said when replying to a question from Abd Muis Picho (BN-Sebatik).
Muis had wanted to know about infectious diseases in the country and preventive measures taken to avoid them.
Yong said tuberculosis (TB) cases also recorded an increase with 4,251 or 1.12% reported during the same period, with Kota Kinabalu recording a steep rise of 711 cases, followed by Tawau (463), Sandakan (414), Lahad Datu (288) and Semporna (287).
“A total of 1,186 foreign workers in Sabah suffered from TB,” he said.
Yong, however said, the number of dengue cases in the state dropped to 2,074 cases or 36.26% compared to 3,245 cases in the corresponding period last year.
He added that Kota Kinabalu recorded the highest number of cases at 374, followed by Sandakan (235); Tawau (259), Semporna (189) and Lahad Datu (165).
Five cases of dengue deaths had also been reported this year, he said. – Bernama, November 23, 2017.