This compares to 1,980 cases the previous week.

Health director-general Dr Radzi Abu Hassan said four deaths from dengue fever complications were also reported during the week.

He said the cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported up to the week was 96,572, compared to 80,201 cases for the same period in 2023.

“There were 88 deaths due to dengue fever complications compared with 57 fatalities in the same period last year,” he said in a statement today.

Radzi said 64 hotspot localities were reported, down from 85 in the previous week.

Of these, 45 were in Selangor, seven in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, three each in Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Perak, and one each in Kedah, Sabah and Sarawak.

Radzi also said two chikungunya cases were reported, bringing the cumulative total to 70 cases.

As for Zika surveillance, he said 1,834 blood samples, eight urine samples and three cerebrospinal fluid samples were screened, but all results were negative.

He warned that the risk of dengue fever transmission typically rises during school and public holidays due to increased public movement.

Therefore, the ministry is urging the community, including schools and contractors, to ensure that no containers are left to collect water around premises.

These could serve as breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes before the second school term holidays (Sept 13-21).