Dengue Fever On The Rise Thailand; 10,000 Patients In Bangkok Last Year

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Dengue fever on the rise Thailand; 10,000 patients in Bangkok last year

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Jan 7 – More than 70,000 people were infected with dengue fever last year and the spread of the tropical disease will possibly be more serious this year, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong said dengue normally spreads in the rainy season but Thailand has seen rising numbers of dengue infection during other seasons.

According to a report by the Disease Control Department, 74,250 people were infected with the disease – 79 fatally – last year, representing a proportion of 116 patients in 100,000 people.

The highest number of 30,562 patients were in the central region with Bangkok having the most at 9,569 patients.

Provincial health offices nationwide have been instructed to control the spread of dengue fever from the beginning of this year, without having to wait until the rainy season, the minister said.

Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary for public health, said dengue fever mainly infected children in the last decade but last year’s statistics found more than half -- 52.44 per cent -- of patients were older than 15 years.

The Public Health Ministry will closely monitor the spread of dengue fever and other contagious diseases throughout the country this year, he said.

More training will be given to village health volunteers so that they educate people on prevention of the disease, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-07

[FritsSikkink]

According to a report by the Disease Control Department, 74,250 people were infected with the disease.

At least 1 more, i got infected in thailand but found out when i was out of the country.

[maturebrit]

According to a report by the Disease Control Department, 74,250 people were infected with the disease.

At least 1 more, i got infected in thailand but found out when i was out of the country.

I know that feeling... I got Falciparum Malaria in Nigeria but it became evident while in the UK. ...dam_n near died of it

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[tominbkk]

What parts of Bangkok are it most prevalent?

[tinfoilhat]

What parts of Bangkok are it most prevalent?

that would be useful information and is, as such, not provided

[BKKBrit]

Those of you who have had Dengue before, like me, are more susceptible to dying on the 2nd round. So don't fool around with this. Simple measures like clearing stagnant water pools (pots, pans, tyres - anything that can contain water and wearing repellents) is critical to keeping this out of your homes. If you have ponds of water, put fish into them as they will eat the larvae. An excellent guide can be found here - http://www.dengue.gov.sg/

[cobra]

74,250 people were infected with the disease – 79 fatally...

To put it in perspective, you have a .00106 % chance of dying from Dengue,

Malaria is worse, worse still is trying to cross Beach Rd in Patters.

Edited January 7, 2013 by cobra

[morning glory]

This is from a Ted Talk http://www.ted.com/speakers/hadyn_parry.html

Perry claims to have reduced the population of dengue mosquitos in Brazil by 85%. Maybe this can help the problem here?

In a single year, there are 200-300 million cases of malaria and 50-100 million cases of dengue fever worldwide. So: Why haven’t we found a way to effectively kill mosquitos yet? Hadyn Parry presents a fascinating solution: genetically engineering male mosquitos to make them sterile, and releasing the insects into the wild, to cut down on disease-carrying species.

"We have reached a moment of truth," says biotech entrepreneur Hadyn Parry. He believes it's a pivotal time for the science industry and it's the moment for the public to wake up and rethink its position on GM technologies and trials. Parry, who is the CEO of Oxitec, a biotech company devoted to innovative insect control, believes the debate over GM crops and animals has become too political, and people are not stopping to evaluate the technologies' true promises and efficacies. In his eyes, GM can be used responsibly for important goals, like the control of extremely harmful diseases like dengue fever.

[chainarong]

Well this is worthy of being a topic, one wonders will it attract as much attention as our flying saucer did the other day, one can assume all arrears are infected in Bangkok, I am at present at work in a Malaria / Dengue mine site , the guys caught a Malaria mozzy early afternoon so much for the theory of between sunset and sunrise, no risks ,long sleeve shirts ,long legged pants ,plenty of repellent, stay in doors as much as possible, even if it is a bar , no sleeping outside .

.

[xenophon]

Dengue is no bloody joke. Take care.

Have had this dreadful disease twice (in Indonesia) and it was excruciating - I recall joint pains, extreme photophobia, rashes and delirium. I was in my 20's but the young girl in the next room, with the same symptoms, died.

And just to round things off, you can have extreme fatigue and flashbacks (like malaria) for a year after.

[Familyonthemove]

74,250 people were infected with the disease – 79 fatally...

To put it in perspective, you have a .00106 % chance of dying from Dengue,

Malaria is worse, worse still is trying to cross Beach Rd in Patters.

True - but even if you don't die of it - you still feel really ill and in serious pain.

[crazydrummerpauly]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

Edited January 7, 2013 by crazydrummerpauly

[Docno]

I recently read that almost all Thais get dengue at least once in their lifetime. If you stay there long enough, there's a good chance you will get it. Bangkok appears to be an epicentre in the country... risk is higher there.

[MoonShadow]

I have lived on Samui for over 8 years and until 2012 dengue fever did not appear to be a major problem, however, last year and so far this year 11 of my friends on Samui, all long term residents, have contracted dengue, including myself. It does seem to be an increasing issue probably connected to the increasing urbanization of Samui along with poor attempts at drainage which result in a lot more 'standing' water being around. It only takes one mosquito!!

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

Here's a link about the Brazilian effort:

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/12/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-fight-dengue-fever/

[Tbone]

"Dengue is no bloody joke. Take care.

Have had this dreadful disease twice (in Indonesia) and it was excruciating - I recall joint pains, extreme photophobia, rashes and delirium. I was in my 20's but the young girl in the next room, with the same symptoms, died.

And just to round things off, you can have extreme fatigue and flashbacks (like malaria) for a year after."

Not for nothing was it called "breakbone fever" in the old days! I have had 2 doses of this nasty affliction since living in Bangkok - for sure I don't want a third! You probably won't die from it, but while you have got it you will probably wish you could!

[chainarong]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

Yeah no worries, been working and living in these places since 1980, but thanks for the thoughts , what I tried to point out was that the Malaria mozzy was out and about with the dengue mozzie, so the malaria doesn't always come out between sunset and sunrise, these buggers have there own rules.

[chainarong]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

Yeah no worries, been working and living in these places since 1980, but thanks for the thoughts , what I tried to point out was that the Malaria mozzy was out and about with the dengue mozzie, so the malaria doesn't always come out between sunset and sunrise, these buggers have there own rules.

[SwissMate78]

I caught it last month (probably from Bangkok). I was mis-diagnosed twice by local GPs and was later admitted to hospital for 3 days after I kept getting worse barely being able to walk straight. Horrible pesky Mosquitos! I take a electro racket with me now on my travels!

[vijer]

I am not surprised there is such a problem, for one I see a lot of Thai's that have 10, 20, 30 mosquito bite marks covering their legs (perhaps it doesn't bother them too much to be bitten), and every road side is a breading ground. Along the 4k stretch from my village to the main road both sides of the road are shallow ditches over grown with weeds, choked with plastic garbage and full of water.

[Baxer]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

I wounder how healthy it is to put repellent(poison) on your self every day year after year, or is there really some "safe" repellent?

[sirchai]

"More training will be given to village health volunteers so that they educate people on prevention of the disease, he said. (MCOT online news)"

Never heard of such health volunteers. Nor about their educational skills to prevent anything.

[redcardave]

Whats an electro racket ?

[kjun12]

According to a report by the Disease Control Department, 74,250 people were infected with the disease.

At least 1 more, i got infected in thailand but found out when i was out of the country.

Was it fatal?

[redcardave]

I caught it last month (probably from Bangkok). I was mis-diagnosed twice by local GPs and was later admitted to hospital for 3 days after I kept getting worse barely being able to walk straight. Horrible pesky Mosquitos! I take a electro racket with me now on my travels!

Whats an electro racket ?

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

I caught it last month (probably from Bangkok). I was mis-diagnosed twice by local GPs and was later admitted to hospital for 3 days after I kept getting worse barely being able to walk straight. Horrible pesky Mosquitos! I take a electro racket with me now on my travels!

Whats an electro racket ?

http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/1769248/Mosquito_Racket_CE_RoHS_certified_Appearance_Design_Patented.html

[crazydrummerpauly]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

I wounder how healthy it is to put repellent(poison) on your self every day year after year, or is there really some "safe" repellent?

Good question. I'm not sure that it works on all species of mosquito, but i imagine a simple Citronella spray is better than using nothing and it is a natural non-toxic product.

[crazydrummerpauly]

To anyone (such as 'chainarong' above) - please be aware, Dengue is spread by a different species of mossie - hence the football-sock stripey legs - and above all, it a a DAYTIME pest, and likes heavily-populated urban areas rather than jungles etc. Repellents really are worth putting high on the shopping-list, since although fatalities are rare, Dengue is a high-impact, horrible illness to go through.

Yeah no worries, been working and living in these places since 1980, but thanks for the thoughts , what I tried to point out was that the Malaria mozzy was out and about with the dengue mozzie, so the malaria doesn't always come out between sunset and sunrise, these buggers have there own rules.

Buggers they are !

[crazydrummerpauly]

The worst possible scenario would be 'Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever' happening to one's child - usually under 10 yrs old - it sounds absolutely horrendous --->

http://www.medicinenet.com/dengue_fever/page5.htm#what_is_dengue_hemorrhagic_fever

[redcardave]

I caught it last month (probably from Bangkok). I was mis-diagnosed twice by local GPs and was later admitted to hospital for 3 days after I kept getting worse barely being able to walk straight. Horrible pesky Mosquitos! I take a electro racket with me now on my travels!

Whats an electro racket ?

http://www.diytrade....n_Patented.html

thanks