PUTRAJAYA, Jan 16 — Dengue cases reported nationwide declined by 16 per cent in 2016 compared to the previous year, said Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

With concerted efforts from the ministry, related agencies and the public in practising initiatives such as "search and destroy” of dengue breeding grounds, he was confident the number of dengue cases could also be reduced this year.

"In the first week of this year, 1,663 cases of dengue fever were reported compared to 1,329 cases the previous week.

"However the number of cases reported in the first week of 2017 has dropped by 50 per cent compared to the same week in 2016 at 3,337 cases,” he said in a statement here today. 

He said two dengue related deathes were reported from January 1 till 7 this year, a decline of 50 per cent from four deaths reported in the same period in 2016.

Dr Noor Hisham said an analysis of dengue cases conducted by the ministry revealed that 56 per cent out of 101,357 cases reported last year comprised males and 44 per cent females, with 99 per cent of cases diagnosed as dengue fever.

"Last year inspections conducted on 4,214,306 premises nationwide revealed 84.7 per cent of breeding (sites) were found inside the home,” he said, adding that 16,601 compounds worth RM8.23 million was also issued in 2016.

He said 1,721 court actions with fines totalling RM1.2 million were also imposed on construction site developers and 2,305 construction sites issued with closure notices for cleaning up work.

On the Zika infection in Malaysia, he said, eight Zika cases were reported from September 1 till December 31 last year while no cases were reported so far in the country. — Bernama