Dengue fever kills 12 people in Thailand

[Shiloh]

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/28/content_8068292.htm

Dengue fever kills 12 people in Thailand
www.chinaview.cn 2008-04-28 17:42:25

BANGKOK, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Public Health Ministry warned the public to be alert regarding dengue fever prevention measures as a dozen of patients died and over 10,000 have suffered from the disease during the first quarter of 2008, according to Chaiya Sasomsub, minister of thePublic Health Ministry on Monday.

From January 1 to April 19 this year, the cumulative number of dengue fever patients soared to 10,901 and 99 percent of the patients were completely recovered, Chaiya said.

However, 12 patients in the country have been killed by the dengue fever this year, he said.

"When compared with the same period last year, the number of dengue fever patients has increased by 80 percent," the minister was quoted by local news network The Nation as saying.

Chaiya said he had instructed local health officials nationwide to maintain the campaign to eradicate the mosquito breeding habitats.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue fever kills 12 people in Thailand

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/20May2008_news07.php

Warning of severe dengue fever strain

NILA SINGSIRI

There could be an outbreak of a severe strain of dengue fever over the next few months of the rainy season, according to the Medical Sciences Department. The department director-general Manit Thiratantikanon warned yesterday that the strain, DENV3, was capable of causing more acute infections than ordinary dengue fever.

Dr Manit said DENV3 infections were more prevalent than expected from January to March of this year.

Fears of an outbreak come amid a significant increase in overall dengue cases in the country.

Somsak Atkasil, director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Control in Ubon Ratchathani, said from January to May 10 there were 14,000 dengue cases nationwide, up a sharp 70% from the same period last year.

Dr Manit said there an epidemic of DENV3 was possible during the rainy season and children would be the most at risk.

The department chief said the DENV3 strain could be spread from the Central Region by travellers and transport,l resulting in a nationwide outbreak.

Four dengue strains exist in Thailand _ DENV1, DENV2, DENV3 and DENV5 _ and there is a tendency for one strain to become more dominant every two to four years.

Dr Manit said those who contract one strain develop immunity against it for life.

Major dengue outbreaks in Bangkok occurred in 1987 and 2000. Dr Manit advised people to ensure there are no breeding areas for mosquito larvae around their homes.

Dr Somsak said global warming could lead to an increase in mosquito numbers, because the conditions would be more conducive to their breeding.

Because dengue is mosquito-born, this could result in a rise in the number of infections.

The area hardest-hit by dengue fever in the Northeast is Si Sa Ket, followed by Ubon Ratchathani and Mukdahan.