PUTRAJAYA: With the dengue epidemic showing more unusual traits, the health ministry has called for more investment to be put into dengue research.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the present type of dengue has displayed different behavioural patterns and there are not enough studies conducted on it.
“Before this, deaths caused by dengue was only due to bleeding. Now, dengue victims die due to organ failures such as the heart and liver.
“We need to relook into the way we treat and manage dengue patients.
“Specialists in infectious diseases within the health ministry have been discussing this new pattern in the past few months and have come with a consensus on how to manage dengue,” said Dr Subramaniam, at the launch of the new clinical practical guidelines (CPG) on management of dengue in adults at his ministry here.
Dr Subramaniam said the change in dengue infection patterns is not due to a mutation of the virus, as the virus causing the deaths of many patients are the same type as before.
The latest figures showed that there are 222 dengue deaths this year, with over 78,000 cases reported nationwide.
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