ASIA/MALAYSIA - Fear for the biggest dengue epidemic ever recorded

Tuesday, 8 September 2015

Kuala Lumpur (Agenzia Fides) - Armed with brochures and insecticides, an 'army' of Malays, mostly elderly, wander the streets of Kuala Lumpur among suburbs, buildings and skyscrapers, to fight against one of the most lethal enemies of the Country: the mosquito Aedes, which has generated an unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever and there are fears that the virus will become more aggressive. The initiative was launched in May, thanks to a group of volunteers who organized themselves against the mosquito that deposits 400 eggs a week and only needs an inch of water to breed. The local Ministry of Health has warned that the Country is facing its biggest ever dengue epidemic, with over 200 deaths recorded so far this year. The number of annual deaths is rising sharply. In fact, throughout 2014 deaths due to this virus were 215; 92 in 2013 and 35 in 2012. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 08/09/2015)


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