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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said Friday it was battling its worst ever outbreak of dengue fever, with 14 deaths and some 5,062 cases of the mosquito-borne disease so far this year.
The crisis, which is centred on Kuala Lumpur and populous Selangor state surrounding the capital, compares to just five deaths and 2,855 cases in the same period a year ago.
"This is the worst outbreak ever but this is not just a Malaysian problem, but a global problem," health ministry director-general Ismail Merican told a press conference.
Ismail said that despite the crisis, householders were refusing to allow local authorities to enter their premises to conduct pesticide "fogging" to kill the aedes mosquito which transmits dengue fever.
He urged residents to keep their environment clean and remove rubbish and pots that collect water where mosquitoes can breed.
"It is important for the public to come together to destroy the mosquito breeding grounds," he said.
Malaysia's health minister has warned that the dengue outbreak could damage the economy by discouraging tourism and lowering productivity.
Dengue fever is endemic in Southeast Asia and cases in Malaysia have surged since 2003.
Last year there were 49,335 cases in Malaysia with 112 deaths, compared to 48,846 cases with 98 deaths the previous year.
- AFP/yb
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