KUALA LUMPUR - Several states, including Selangor and Johor, recorded an increase in dengue cases last week with a total of 763 cases reported during the period.

Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, director of the Health Ministry's Disease Control Division, said that the other places that recorded an increase were Terengganu, Kelantan, Malacca, Putrajaya, Sarawak and Pahang.

This brought the number of dengue cases to 30,956 with 71 deaths this year, but it was still lower compared with 35,164 cases for the corresponding period last year, he said in a statement here yesterday.

He said although studies by the ministry showed that the level of public awareness on dengue was high, only 32% of patients sought treatment within three days of having the symptoms.

"This is why most cases are detected late and they are the cause of the spread of the disease to others," he added.

Dr Hasan said that checks conducted by the ministry, together with the local authorities, also found that residential buildings and shops made up 78% of premises found to be breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, besides construction sites and playgrounds.

A total of 411 compound notices, involving fine of RM73,551, were issued nationwide last week, he added.