The figures make grim reading – close to 10,000 dengue cases recorded nationwide since January, with 16 deaths. We are in the grips of a dengue epidemic, and despite the growing alarm among healthcare professionals and the hard work by local authorities, Malaysians are seemingly blasé about the dangers.
The twin threats of dengue and its sibling Chikungunya are both borne by the deadly Aedes mosquito. What is most galling to the authorities is that both diseases can easily be eradicated if people, instead of relying on myths and rumours, take time to understand the Aedes mosquito.
Unfortunately, most people turn a deaf ear to the warnings and prevention methods while others rely on unverified information, making it difficult for the authorities to spread awareness on the problem.
Selangor Health, Welfare, Women Empowerment and Family Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, who said people do not understand the behaviour of the Aedes mosquito. Understanding its behaviour and pattern will help us eliminate the dangers,” she said. And indeed, the danger is clear and present, especially in Selangor.
The state recorded a 204% increase in cases up to Feb 9, to 10,479 cases compared with the same period in 2018. The state also recorded the highest number of Chikungunya cases, with 65 cases recorded up to Feb 15. However, none of the victims were warded and all are reportedly in stable condition.
In order to combat the epidemic in an effective manner, it is vital that we separate fact from fiction. Dr Siti Mariah said a common myth is that the Aedes mosquito only contracts the virus after biting into an infected person.
“In reality, an adult mosquito with the dengue virus can also pass on the infection to the eggs it lays – a process known as transovarial transmission,” she said. There are four different virus serotypes (variations of species) and the condition of the patient worsens with subsequent infections, even leading to dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal.
The initial symptoms for Chikungunya, meanwhile, are similar to dengue, and though it is not fatal, the patient can suffer for months if untreated.
Clean home is no guarantee. According to Dr Siti Mariah, most people have the common misconception that their chances of contracting dengue are reduced significantly if their houses are clean.
“Mosquitoes can fly as far as 500m, so if their neighbourhood or even their neighbour’s houses have breeding spots, they have a high chance of getting bitten by an infected mosquito,” she added.
The state government’s challenge now is to teach people about the mosquito and its habitat so they are aware of the steps to take to eradicate the breeding spots of eggs and larvae.
One thing that people need to consider is that the Aedes mosquito eggs are very resilient.
“Most people do not know that the eggs only need very little water to hatch; the size of a 20 sen coin. To make matters worse, the eggs can actually survive without water for up to six months,” Dr Siti Mariah stressed.
The most common breeding spots are places that are crowded like pasar malam, morning markets and wet markets. This is partly due to the lack of cleanliness in the area after visitors throw garbage indiscriminately including cups, plastic containers and bags nearby.
The sub-standard maintenance by contractors hired by local councils does not help matters, as the garbage left behind can end up turning into breeding grounds. Neighbourhood areas that are also prone are playgrounds and green lungs.
“People are getting complacent, thinking their home is clean. However, they need to look at their surroundings as well,” she added.
Dr Siti Mariah said the only way to eradicate the problem is to ensure there are no breeding spots at all. In fact, the mosquito breeding spots can be found in unexpected places, including tyres, in-between banana trees and pandan leaves, the gutter, toys left outside the house, air-con compressors, and even on the grooves of dustbin covers.
According to Selangor local councils, these are some of the common spots they check when conducting spot checks on homes and business premises. Lack of cooperation Shah Alam City Council communications head Shahrin Ahmad said one of the most prone dengue spots are in areas with student accommodation.
He said students leave food containers and polystyrene packets in locations that can collect water when they balik kampung for the holidays. Since there is no one at home, we cannot check the premises and eliminate the eggs and larvae,” Shahrin said.
He also said that many homeowners refused to cooperate with the local councils during their visits.
Their aim, added Shahrin, is to educate the house owners on the potential breeding grounds, yet many refuse to open the doors to the MBSA health officers.
Klang Municipal Council’s (MPK) health director Azmi Muji, meanwhile, said the council has found breeding spots in weird spots including abandoned toilets, unoccupied houses and even coconut shells in wet markets.
“This year, MPK and the District Health Department will take strict action against premises owners who have allowed their place to become breeding spots,” he added.
Klang district recorded the second highest number of cases following Petaling district with 2,644 cases in the first week of February.
The authorities are doing their best to deal with the dengue and Chikungunya epidemic, but ultimately, it is up to the people to have a greater awareness of their surroundings and ensure that there are no suitable breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito.
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