WEDNESDAY-5TH DECEMBER 2007-DENGUE CASES DROP BY HALF IN SANDAKAN

Dengue cases drop by half in Sandakan
SANDAKAN:
The number of reported dengue cases in the district has dropped by nearly half since January this year compared to the same period of last year. There were 200 reported cases from January to November, 2007 compared to 500 cases in 2006. Sandakan Area Health Officer Dr G. Navindran attributed the drop to the increasing public awareness on cleanliness and the danger of dengue and the continued monitoring by the Health Department. “Dengue cases are reported every year but this can be checked if we continue to raise public awareness on cleanliness and the cause of dengue from time to time,” he said. On another development, Dr Navindran explained that the Health Department personnel are not authorized to collect money from members of the public who failed to observe cleanliness regulations. “Our personnel will issue summonses to offenders on the spot but they are not allowed to collect or ask for money from the latter,” he pointed out after receiving public complaints on the matter.