The high population density area of Zone 7, which covers Tiong Hua Road and its vicinity, has been identified as among the major contributors to dengue cases in Sibu District, which recorded the most cases of the disease in the state.

According to the Health Department, this could be due to many residents in Zone 7 being renters.

“There are still a lot of mosquito breeding places in the area due to indiscriminate dumping of garbage by tenants. There are houses not fit for occupancy yet rented out. Those houses are poorly maintained,” acting state health director Dr Jamilah Hashim said in a statement to The Borneo Post recently.

“Highly populated areas of Sibu, such as Zone 7, are crowded with a large number of houses,” Dr Jamilah said, noting that residents in the area had a tendency to store water for gardening.

“There are also unattended lots of land covered by thick vegetation that may harbour the breeding places of the Aedes mosquito,” she said.

Dr Jamilah said some back lanes in Zone 7 could not be or were difficult to access as there were structural defects caused by sinking land.

A total of 1,409 dengue cases were reported in Sarawak from Jan 1 to June 25 this year.

Sibu District had the highest number of cases at 746 or 53 per cent of the total, followed by Kuching (180) and Kapit (135).

There is a possibility of a dengue spike in the state in view of the mass movement of people during the festive celebration.

The public are encouraged to participate in dengue control and prevention by destroying the potential breeding grounds of mosquitoes.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Peter Boon

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