The relevant health authorities including the Vector Borne Disease Control Unit and also the local council should carry out the necessary control measures to deal with reported dengue cases and outbreaks in certain parts of Kuching in order to curb the spread of the disease and minimise human infection.
We have received reports that currently there is a dengue outbreak along the area of Jalan P. Ramlee, where there were a few victims including workers of the nearby construction squatters and even shop owners and office workers in the area have been treated for the dengue in the past weeks. I was on the ground to inspect the area as well and to speak to the office workers in the area. I was informed that some of their colleagues also fell victim to the disease and were treated in the hospital and some were under bed rest at home.
As such, I urge the relevant authorities to carry out the relevant preventive measures including properly alerting the public in the area to be more vigilant and also ‘gotong royong’ to remove the high number of mosquito breeding spots within the surroundings to ensure that their compound is clean and free from aedes mosquitoes.
While I was informed that fogging has been done in the area, but fogging activities will be more effective and efficient if it is followed by search and destroy activities. The aim of fogging is to kill the infected mosquitoes while the search and destroy activities will stop the mosquitoes from breeding
There are several schools in the area as well and thus the school principals and headmasters are also to ensure that there are no Aedes mosquito breeding places in their school compound at all times. Owners or those responsible for public premises such as eateries, coffee shops, markets and shopping malls in area must also improve the level of cleanliness of their premises. This is important to prevent premises from becoming breeding places for aedes mosquitoes which are the sources of transmission for dengue fever. A compound of RM500 can be issued by the authorities to anyone found with aedes mosquito breeding spots within their premises
I also called on members of the public to search and destroy mosquito breeding spots and maintain cleanliness of their residence at all times even though their areas may not be an outbreak area, stressing that doing this at least 10 minutes every week can save families and the communities from the threat of dengue fever.
Main breeding places are used tyres, plastic containers, cans, water storage, drums, pails and discarded items or rubbish that can contain water.
We all play a part and the public must cooperate with the relevant health authorities when dengue control activities are being carried out, including by allowing inspection teams and control teams to enter their premises whenever required. Anyone who shows any signs and symptoms of dengue fever are advised to seek medical treatment immediately at a nearby clinic or hospital.
“Owners or those responsible for public premises such as eateries, coffee shops, markets and shopping malls must improve the level of cleanliness of their premises. This is important to prevent premises from becoming breeding places for aedes mosquitoes which are the sources of transmission for dengue fever. A compound of RM500 will be issued to anyone found with aedes mosquito breeding spots within their premises,” he said.