Malaysia hit by dengue

There has been a doubling of dengue fever cases in Malaysia over the first three weeks of the year.

Figures from the country's health ministry show that 4,221 cases of dengue fever have been reported in the period between January 1st and 25th. This compares to just 2,103 reported cases for the same three weeks of 2008.

So far this year, 12 people have died from the disease, more than double last year's figure of five.

Ministers now fear that this outbreak could have a significant impact on the country's economy which is partly dependant on the tourism industry.

Liow Tong Lai, health minister, told the Malaysia Star: "The increase is worrying. The high number of cases can affect productivity, the tourism industry and, ultimately, our economy."

In an interview with the newspaper, he also called for more campaigns to increase public awareness of how the disease spreads.

The ministry plans to work with community organisations to spread the message to residents and to identify areas with high rates of mosquito breeding.

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