The Health Ministry has warned of a disturbing pattern in dengue cases: a change in variation detected towards the end of last year could lead to a sudden rise in cases this year.
Disease control division director Dr Chong Chee Kheong said this variation shift combined with bad garbage disposal systems, erratic weather and construction sites breeding mosquitoes could result in what he calls a ‘deadly concoction’, the Malay Mail’s Audrey Edwards reports.
According to Dr Chong, the dengue stereotype changed from DEN2 to DEN1 late last year. This could also mean that those infected with DEN2 could be re-infected with DEN1.
“We anticipate the trend to rise during the first quarter of this year before it settles and shows a downtrend. So we have to work hard to prevent and control the transmission of dengue in the community,” he was quoted as saying.
“If a large portion of the community is already naturally immunised from past infection of a particular serotype, they will act as a ‘shield’ (herd immunity) for those who have not been infected by that particular serotype,” he told the daily.
