Area in Miri declared dengue hotspot

The Pujut area in Miri has been declared a dengue outbreak zone after statistics revealed an increase of cases reported in the city.

The outbreak involved two cases which were reported to have occurred in the same house.

Pujut is of particular concern because it had been declared an uncontrolled dengue outbreak area from 2009 to 2010, according to deputy health officer Dr Veronica Lugah from the Divisional Health Office, the Borneo Post reported.

"Based on the facts of the case, the movement of the epidemic dengue outbreaks occurred at the Pujut area, making it the first dengue outbreak area recorded in Miri this year."

Pujut, which is 19.5km from Miri, had three reported dengue cases from June 9 to 5. Between June 15 to 29, there were 10 cases, prompting authorities to sound the alert earlier this week.

The places involved are Pujut Corner (hotspot), Pujut Anting, Pujut Rail and Pujut Tanjong Batu. Besides Pujut, other cases where dengue cases have been recorded include Tudan, Permyjaya and Taman Tunku, all nearby areas.

Lugah said the residents in the affected areas had got together to conduct community clean-up activities to rid their compounds of potential Aedes mosquito breeding grounds.

Fogging exercises were carried out, but that would only kill the adult mosquitoes, not the larvae. Hence the importance of a joint cleaning effort to prevent the mosquitoes from reproducing.

She said the Health Ministry had begun conducting a nationwide public health law enforcement operation to stem the dengue outbreak.

Those found to have Aedes breeding grounds within their premises could face stiff fines.