According to DBKL, there are 166 active construction sites around the city.

DBKL health department director Dr Hayathi Abdullah said dengue cases at construction sites in the city had increased from last year.

“In 2015, there were two cases of dengue involving construction workers, compared with 16 cases this year.

“This could be due to the growing number of construction sites,” she told FMT.

Hayathi said DBKL inspected construction sites daily for Aedes breeding grounds.

She said 184 construction sites were inspected last year and 179 sites were inspected as of the third week of November.

“Last year, DBKL and the Federal Territory KL health department issued 106 compound notices. They have issued 119 compound notices this year.

“The developer will have the offence compounded for RM500 for each breeding spot found on the site. The contractors will also have to carry out pest control activities and send a report to DBKL every month.”

To create awareness of dengue, DBKL has introduced the Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi) programme where contractors and workers are trained to perform their own pest control activities regularly.

Contractors not on the programme are required to engage a pest control company to do the work and submit a report to the authorities monthly.

Hayathi said DBKL would not hesitate to close down sites harbouring Aedes-breeding grounds.

“Last year, 15 sites were closed and so far this year there have been 12 closures. The order to close is usually issued to construction sites infested with Aedes breeding grounds.

“To date, 20 developers and contractors have also been summoned to court for not settling the compound fines.”

Hayathi said 240 workers were deployed to carry out fogging in 11 constituencies.

Fogging is conducted twice a day on working days, and once in the morning on weekends and public holidays.

Fogging was conducted 8,640 times in the city last year and 7,710 times to date this year.