18 Die In First Half Of Year In Dengue Epidemic

18 die in first half of year as dengue epidemic infects 14,000

Eighteen people have died, and over 14,000 people have been infected by the mosquito-borne dengue fever during the first six months of the year, but public health officials insisted that this represented a considerable improvement on last year’s figures.

Releasing new figures on the dengue fever situation, Dr. Kumnuan Ungchusak, director of the Bureau of Epidemiology, said that 14,808 people had been infected by the disease in the six months leading up to July 17, representing 21.38 people per 100,000 head of population. Of these, 18 people had died - a mere 0.12 percent of the total number of people infected. Dr. Kumnuan said that this shows a major reduction on figures for the previous five years.

The highest rate of dengue fever this year was found in the eastern province of Rayong, where 55.07 people per 100,000 head of population were infected. Other provinces with high rates of infection were the eastern province of Chantaburi, the southern provinces of Chumphon and Krabi, the northeastern provinces of Si Sa Ket, Sakon Nakhon, and Samut Songkram, the northern provinces of Lampang and Lamphun, and the central province of Nakhon Pathom.

Dr. Kumnuan attributed the reduction in the infection rate to successful campaigns by the Ministry of Public Health to encourage the public to cut off breeding opportunities for the dengue-carrying mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant water. Nonetheless, the director of the Bureau of Epidemiology expressed concern over the opportunities for dengue infection in large cities, including Bangkok.

Although most deaths from dengue fever occur in young children, there has recently been a worrying trend towards fatalities among older children and adults.

Although the disease can be fatal, in some cases there are no symptoms at all.

Dr. Kumnuan urges anyone with a fever of more than a two-day duration to be tested for the virus, noting that many patients do not receive prompt medical treatment, as they imagine they are infected with a minor virus.

-- TNA 2004-07-30