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Re: Yemen: dengue fever cases
Source: http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1218&p=front&a=2
Outbreak of Dengue Fever in Taiz
Salah Al-Warafy For the Yemen Times
TAIZ, Dec. 21 ? The Taiz Governorate has been hit hard by a recent outbreak of Dengue Fever, with Al-Jumhoori Hospital reporting up to 525 cases in the past three months alone.
Dengue Fever can be tested for by two methods, the Test Cassette and the Elisa Test, according to Dr. Ahmed Abddulaah Mansur, Chairman of Virology Department at Al-Jumhoori Hospital. However, the availability of such methods is reportedly inadequate. "The Elisa Test is available only at the Aljumhuri Hospital, where cases are referred to from all other private or public hospitals and laboratories," Mansur said.
Other private labs have also reported scores of cases, with Alameri Laboratory reporting five this month alone.
"Since there is a shortage of test equipment, we can not effectively diagnose patients, as most cases are identified through a general blood test," said Dr. Waleed Yasin, a lab technician.
Dengue Fever is a mosquito-borne infection that can take one of two forms - Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). These have both affected the rural areas in Taiz, including in Alshrooh Village in Jabal Habashi District.
The main reasons for the spread of this infectious disease are stagnant water, open-liquid containers, and rainfall in areas where mosquitoes breed.
Symptoms of the disease include severe headaches, rashes, muscular pain, joint pain, back and even eye pain.
Mansur said that to help combat the spread of the disease in areas where it is endemic, the authorities concerned should raise awareness on how to take preventative measures.
In June 2008, among the provinces hit by Dengue Fever was the eastern province of Shabwa, contributing to more than 2000 cases of infection, and tens of deaths.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the epidemic also took hold in the western province of Hodeidah in 2005, resulting in a total of 392 cases of infection and 15 deaths.
Some 2.5 billion of the world's population are at risk, and there may be up to 50 million annual cases of infections worldwide.
The epidemic has now spread into more than 100 countries in Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.
Source: http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1218&p=front&a=2
Outbreak of Dengue Fever in Taiz
Salah Al-Warafy For the Yemen Times
TAIZ, Dec. 21 ? The Taiz Governorate has been hit hard by a recent outbreak of Dengue Fever, with Al-Jumhoori Hospital reporting up to 525 cases in the past three months alone.
Dengue Fever can be tested for by two methods, the Test Cassette and the Elisa Test, according to Dr. Ahmed Abddulaah Mansur, Chairman of Virology Department at Al-Jumhoori Hospital. However, the availability of such methods is reportedly inadequate. "The Elisa Test is available only at the Aljumhuri Hospital, where cases are referred to from all other private or public hospitals and laboratories," Mansur said.
Other private labs have also reported scores of cases, with Alameri Laboratory reporting five this month alone.
"Since there is a shortage of test equipment, we can not effectively diagnose patients, as most cases are identified through a general blood test," said Dr. Waleed Yasin, a lab technician.
Dengue Fever is a mosquito-borne infection that can take one of two forms - Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). These have both affected the rural areas in Taiz, including in Alshrooh Village in Jabal Habashi District.
The main reasons for the spread of this infectious disease are stagnant water, open-liquid containers, and rainfall in areas where mosquitoes breed.
Symptoms of the disease include severe headaches, rashes, muscular pain, joint pain, back and even eye pain.
Mansur said that to help combat the spread of the disease in areas where it is endemic, the authorities concerned should raise awareness on how to take preventative measures.
In June 2008, among the provinces hit by Dengue Fever was the eastern province of Shabwa, contributing to more than 2000 cases of infection, and tens of deaths.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the epidemic also took hold in the western province of Hodeidah in 2005, resulting in a total of 392 cases of infection and 15 deaths.
Some 2.5 billion of the world's population are at risk, and there may be up to 50 million annual cases of infections worldwide.
The epidemic has now spread into more than 100 countries in Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.
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