Manggatal: Dengue cases nationwide rose 20.7 percent to 33,367 as of June 13 (Epidemiological Week 23), compared with 27,640 cases recorded during the corresponding period last year. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad reported that the situation in Sabah was particularly concerning, with the state experiencing a sharp 50.4 percent increase to 2,866 cases, compared with 1,905 cases during the same period last year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, several districts in Sabah have been identified as the main contributors to the state's caseload, namely Kota Kinabalu, Kota Marudu, Tawau, Sandakan, Penampang, and Putatan. Dr Dzulkefly emphasized the need for vigilance, stating, "We know that this surge falls within the expected cyclical trend of infections that occurs every four to five years, but we must remain vigilant in dealing with the situation," during a press briefing in Manggatal.
Earlier, Dr Dzulkefly officiated the national-level ASEAN Dengue Day, World Malaria Day, and Mega Gotong-Royong, held in conjunction with the 2026 National Healthy Malaysia Agenda (ANMS) Roadshow at the Manggatal Community Hall. He noted that, apart from the cyclical trend, the Health Ministry had identified a shift in the circulating dengue virus sub-variants, with the DEN-3 sub-variant now becoming dominant, as a contributing factor to the rise in cases.
To tackle the challenge, Dr Dzulkefly announced the introduction of a new strategic approach based on Behavioural Insights (BI) through the Dengue-Free Community (Kombat) programme. "We are introducing several new initiatives, particularly through the application of the BI approach, which draws on behavioural economics and examines human behaviour, including how people can be influenced or nudged towards positive change," he explained.
The nudging strategy aims to encourage behavioural change, as awareness and literacy alone do not necessarily lead to action. Dr Dzulkefly stressed the importance of creating conditions that enable people to change, with support from both the federal and state governments. Kombat focuses on three key strategies: environmental interventions, community empowerment, and a whole-of-society approach, including the strengthening of entomological surveillance.