Dengue This Year In Phuket?

[evitas]

Has anybody news about the dengue virus in Phuket this year?

Is there also malaria in Phuket?

[paulfromphuket]

Has anybody news about the dengue virus in Phuket this year?

Is there also malaria in Phuket?

just keep drinking the gin and tonics dont wear blue and remember never eat shreaded wheat/

you will be fine

[keestha]

Your chance to contract dengue as a tourist or resident in Phuket or in Thailand in general is very, very low.

The profilaxis against malaria you only have to take when you go trekking in mountain areas in Northern Thailand, close to the Burmese border.

It would be more realistic to worry about traffic accidents.

[Zpete]

Ok here, but if ya travelling.

Stay away from Nth Qld, parts of NSW and Sth OZ.

The plague of dengue is apon them.

[evitas]

Your chance to contract dengue as a tourist or resident in Phuket or in Thailand in general is very, very low.

The profilaxis against malaria you only have to take when you go trekking in mountain areas in Northern Thailand, close to the Burmese border.

It would be more realistic to worry about traffic accidents.

Very very low??? I had dengue last year and my son too. And we must stay in the hospital.

I came to Phuket several times a year. Last year there where 20.000 cases in Phuket.

[paulfromphuket]

Your chance to contract dengue as a tourist or resident in Phuket or in Thailand in general is very, very low.

The profilaxis against malaria you only have to take when you go trekking in mountain areas in Northern Thailand, close to the Burmese border.

It would be more realistic to worry about traffic accidents.

Very very low??? I had dengue last year and my son too. And we must stay in the hospital.

I came to Phuket several times a year. Last year there where 20.000 cases in Phuket.

I am sorry you contracted the fever but could you please substantiate your clam of 20,000 source if you don"t mind

[goldfish]

20,000 in Phuket alone is unlikely, but it's still a virus to be careful of

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Dengue-Outbr...l&hl=dengue

Have read up on the causes/breeding grounds etc and have now reduced my risk (had it twice, don't intend having it again)

[Felt 35]

Dengue Fever Alert, South Thailand hard hit

The aedes aegypti mosquito is the transmission agent for Dengue Fever. It bites humans between an hour or so after dawn until about an hour after sunset. Workers in Phuket's rubber tree plantations are at particular risk.

BANGKOK / PHUKET: The Public Health Ministry has set up a national war room to control the spread of dengue fever across the country after learning the situation will be far worse than last year.

The ministry has assigned all provincial public health offices, local administration organisations and health volunteers to strictly control and monitor the transmission of dengue fever in local areas.

The ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Dr Paijit Warachit, will chair the war room, teaming up with agencies including the World Health Organisation and the US Center for Disease Control to monitor the spread of the disease within Thailand and neighbouring countries.

They will meet at least once a week to keep a close watch on any possible outbreak.

Citing Bureau of Epidemiology records, Paijit said that in January this year 1,675 people were reported as new cases of dengue fever, and two had died. The figure for the same period last year was 1,553 new cases, with two lives lost.

The Central region was the hardest hit with 886 patients, of which 303 were in Bangkok. The Southern region suffered the second worst outbreak with 546 patients. Songkhla, Pattani, and Yala were the worst affected provinces.

As today is a public holiday in Thailand (Makha Bucha Day), the Phuket Gazette has been unable to reach the Provincial Public Health Office for statistics on Phuket province.

In recent years, workers in Phuket's rubber tree plantations have been at particular risk.

Last year saw a total of 91,003 Dengue Fever patients nationwide. In 2007, there were 65,581.

Local authorities have been advised to spray insecticide to eradicate the adult aedes aegypti mosquito, which bites humans from about an hour after dawn until roughly an hour after sunset.

Residents should drain off any stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and use abates sand, a pesticide, to destroy their larvae.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai has asked the public to keep a close watch on people in their households and nurseries. If anyone develops a high fever over a two-day period, they should be taken to a doctor, he said.

Phuketgazette 9. February 2009

[damian]

Always a chance that you will get it. Daughter and I copped it last year and neither ofus want it again.

We now apply the Johnsons anti mosquito clear lotion (non smelly, non oily etc) each day and night. For us its better to be a bit safe than sorry.

[Felt 35]

PHUKET CITY: This year could see a severe outbreak of dengue fever in Phuket if action is not taken to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds, the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office has warned.

Comparing the local infection rate for early 2009 with the rates of the five preceding years shows a higher rate than normal, health office chief Dr Pongsawas Ratanasang said.

Random inspections in every district of Phuket in January found mosquito larvae in more than 10% of residences – more than expected. The larvae were also present in schools, nurseries, temples, mosques and workplaces, he said.

Containers in which the most mosquito larvae were most commonly found were, in descending order: water containers in toilets, saucers under flowerpots, general water containers, vases and disused water receptacles. This indicates a degree of carelessness on the part of the people of Phuket, Dr Pongsawat said.

Mosquito larvae develop into the adult form in just seven days, after which they can bite people and spread the disease, he explained

So far in 2009 there have been 15 dengue cases in the province, with no deaths. But comparing this infection rate with those of the previous five years (2004–2008) reveals a greater than standard risk.

The local administrative areas with the highest infection rates were, in descending order: Karon, Rassada, Patong, Koh Kaew and Mai Khao. The age group with the most infections was the 15- 24-year-old bracket.

In 2008, there were 769 cases of dengue fever, or 255.71 infections per 100,000 people. There were two deaths from the disease, or 0.26% of those infected.

Comparing this rate with other provinces, Phuket has the 12th highest infection rate in the country. People in the 10- to 14-year-old bracket had the most infections, followed by 15- to 24-year-olds. The areas with the highest infection rates were, in descending order: Karon, Kamala, Patong, Koh Kaew and Wichit.

“Normally, June to July is the period when the infection risk is highest. After that the rate decreases. But in Phuket the number of infections increases again towards the end of the year, from October to December.

"We need to quickly eradicate mosquito breeding areas, especially in schools, nurseries, hospitals, public health centers, places of worship, hotels and residences in tourist areas. This will be for the sake of the safety of the people and tourists,” Dr Pongsawat said.

Phuketgazette 18. February 2009