This year’s  “epidemic cycle” of dengue fever could result in the Kingdom’s worst recorded epidemic of the disease, Ministry of Health officials said yesterday.

There is an “unusual increase” in mosquito larvae in the first part of 2012, which could signal a pending mosquito-borne disease outbreak, dengue control program director Ngan Chantha said yesterday.

“At the moment, it is an unusual increase, not an outbreak or high alert situation, but we need the public to informed and aware,” Ngan Chantha said.

“With dengue, it is mainly an issue in the cities and towns because the larvae grow in still water often in built-up areas,” he said, adding that residents in all major cities should take care to keep clean households to prevent breeding grounds for the mosquito.

Dengue mosquitos are commonly found in urban areas, while malarial mosquitos tend to be in rural or forested areas, he said.

According to government information published yesterday, 2007 was the worst recorded outbreak of dengue fever in Cambodia.

Some 40,000 children were infected during the epidemic and 400 were killed by the disease.

“With the dengue mosquito we all have to be aware,” Ngan Chantha said.

“The dengue mosquito bites everyone, old and young, rich and poor.”