KUCHING, July 17 — Sarawak recorded a total of 1,263 cases of dengue fever as of July 11 this year with Sibu town declared as a hot spot.

Sarawak Public Health Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said during the period there were 15 cases reported in Sibu, Kuching (three), Miri (two), Lubok Antu (two) and one each in Sri Aman, Lundu, Kanowit, Bintulu and Marudi.

“However we are fortunate that there is no death cases this year as all these are just mild dengue cases,” he told reporters at Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.

He said Sibu remained the hot spot for dengue cases in Sarawak, while in Kuching the cases were reported along Mile 6 and 7 areas.

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“Because of these cases we have received instruction for us to form a state dengue taskforce and we are going to have our first meeting in Sibu on August 11,” said Dr Jerip.

The state dengue taskforce, he said would include the Medical Department, Fire and Rescue Department, city councils, local councils, resident office, some private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and to be led by the state’s ministry of public health. — Bernama