Dengue outbreak is coming!

July 10, 2023 Editorial Reszon

Dengue outbreak is coming! The Complete Solution for POCT Dengue Management

A dengue outbreak of unprecedented scale could occur within the year or next if the public doesn’t do their part in combating its spread, says the Health Ministry.

Dengue cases saw a massive rise this year with 48,712 cases reported from January to June 3, surpassing the 18,883 cases that were reported within the same period last year. [2] “From January to June 4 this year, we have seen a 158% rise in dengue cases and a distressing 183% increase in the death toll compared with the same period last year.This upward trend is expected to continue as Malaysia typically experiences a surge in dengue cases every four to five years,” said Dr. Husnina Ibrahim. In Selangor alone, the total number of dengue cases was 26,653 from December 2019 until June 15, 2023. [1]

Causes of Dengue

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that is common in warm, tropical climates. The infection is caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses (called serotypes) [3] and these can lead to a wide spectrum of symptoms, including some which are extremely mild (unnoticeable) to those that may require medical intervention and hospitalization. In severe cases, fatalities can occur. There is no treatment for the infection itself but the symptoms that a patient experiences can be managed.

Dengue epidemics tend to have seasonal patterns, with transmission often peaking during and after rainy seasons. There are several factors contributing to this increase and they include high mosquito population levels, susceptibility to circulating serotypes, favourable air temperatures, precipitation and humidity, all of which affect the reproduction and feeding patterns of mosquito populations, as well as the dengue virus incubation period. Lack of proactive control interventions and staff are some of the other challenges.

Diagnosis

There are no specific vaccines or antiviral treatments against dengue fever. Use of paracetamol to bring down the fever is indicated. Early detection of dengue with rapid test kit is essential to help medical professionals to diagnose and enable patients to gain access to proper medical care. Reszon offers RVR Dengue Rapid Test Kit series for the detection of IgG/IgM, NS1 and Combo NS1-IgG/IgM to assist healthcare institutions, laboratories, and medical offices in point-of-care decision-making.

Discover more on RVR Dengue Rapid Test Point-of-Care Assay offered by Reszon!