The Ministry of Health (MOH) is developing an artificial intelligence system to combat dengue. The AI tool will be used to predict and identify dengue hotspots, allowing for improved early detection and outbreak response.
According to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the initiative is part of a broader strategy by the government to control the disease. He explained that the integration of predictive AI tools will help with determining high-risk areas. This should allow for the implementation of more targeted and effective interventions.
Dr Dzulkefly also went on to mention that the number of dengue-related deaths has exceeded that of COVID-19. Currently, there have been 21 reported dengue deaths this year. In comparison, COVID-19 has claimed only one life. However, the situation has shown an improvement from the previous year, which saw more than 83,000 dengue cases and 117 fatalities.
The government’s long-term strategy to curb infections involves the introduction of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia. The government has deployed the mosquitoes across 45 localities in the country. Dr Dzulkefly noted that the approach has shown promising results in suppressing Aedes mosquito populations.
Furthermore, the minister gave an update on the development of a dengue vaccine. He explained that research efforts are ongoing at Universiti Malaya with direction from the ministry.
(Source: Bernama)
