Dengue Fever: 13,200 Cases Reported In Thailand

[webfact]

13,200 dengue fever cases reported in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- As of March 11, 13,200 Thais have fallen victims of dengue fever so far this year, with 16 of them killed by the illness, according to the Public Health Ministry.

It said that the number of victims and the number of dead cases are both 4 times higher than the same period last year.

The ministry’s data shows that cases were reported in all provinces of Thailand.

A war room is now in place to monitor the situation and devise measures to contain the disease. The ministry fears the situation would worsen during the rainy season.

-- The Nation 2013-03-18

[tominbkk]

Again it would be nice for them to tell us where most cases are contracted, in Thailand, and in Bangkok in particular. Not very useful otherwise.

[Judo Chop]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

[fezman]

i had dengue years ago ,so i keep an eye on these stories and i am sure there was an article here only a week or two ago that said dengue cases are less than last year and no deaths .and yer tominbkk ,i want to know were they are being reported too

.mozzie hater.

[coma]

These are particularly worrying numbers for this time of the year. And it surely means that the stage is set for some sort of massive outbreak once the wet season kicks in across Thailand in a few months.

Edited March 18, 2013 by coma

[coma]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

You don't happen to hold shares in the company that makes aeroguard do you ?

[noitom]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

That's composed of the chemical DEET that people were mixing in drinks in Phi Phi causing the deaths of some tourist woman a while back?

[noitom]

This is an epidemic proportion and "suddenly" announced. Scary. Yet another good reason to stay away from Thailand.

[doggie888888]

Not that any authority has mentioned, there was an outbreak in pattaya last year. Rather randomly, about 5 persons I know contracted it (and I don't know that many people in pattaya). A couple of them mentioned that upon admission, hospital staff were saying they have seen a worrisome spike in dengue cases and the patients ought to spread the word to family, friends.

I hope WHO goes over the useless public health authorities here and declare, if necessary, that parts of Thailand poses serious dengue risks. Bugger the tourism image.

[doggie888888]

This is an epidemic proportion and "suddenly" announced. Scary. Yet another good reason to stay away from Thailand.

you don't need to stay away, you just need to be aware of the risks and take your own precautions. The authorities trying to keep mum for as long as possible does not help a la SARS.

[webfact]

Dengue fever kills 16, infects over 13,000 people in two months
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, March 17 – Dengue fever killed 16 people, with 13,200 patients having been recorded in the first two months of this year across the country, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary of public health, said that a war room meeting to monitor the dengue fever outbreak in 2013 found that the mosquito control was not satisfactory.

The Bureau of Epidemiology reported that from Jan 1 – March 11, dengue fever patients were found in every province.

A total number of 13,200 patients was recorded, or about 1,000-1,500 infection per week on average.

About half of the total deaths were children under the age of 14 years and fatalities are four times higher than last year’s record.

The survey conducted by the Department of Disease Control on mosquito larva population in 190 districts found that over 70 percent of mosquito larvae originated from water containers in households.

Deaths were reported in nine provinces – the highest death toll of five in Songkhla, followed by two in Nakhon Si Thammarat and one case in each province of Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Pattani and Yala.

The permanent secretary ordered public health offices to control the mosquito population and people are advised to use mosquito repellents.

People, and especially children who, experience fever for three consecutive days should see a doctor immediately for diagnosis and, if infected with dengue fever, to receive proper treatment. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-18

[chainarong]

This little bugger ranges from Top end of Oz throughout Indo ,Singapore right up the peninsular, even as far as HK, Take all mossies as either Malaria or Dengue, as for area;s likely to be in , every area,especially in dry spells, I've been around the tropic's for over thirty years ,i tell U I've been lucky, set the aircon below 25c, plenty of deet, long sleeve shirts and long pants and think of England.

[Judo Chop]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

You don't happen to hold shares in the company that makes aeroguard do you ?

Not at all. I just know the tropical strength works. Yes it contains DEET.

[Genericnic]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

You don't happen to hold shares in the company that makes aeroguard do you ?

Not at all. I just know the tropical strength works. Yes it contains DEET.

Out of curiosity, is it available in Chiang Mai?

David

[maxheadroom007]

Own precautions against the mosquito is the best advice so far.

The mosquito breeds on the surface of water and so the firt thing to do is empty all jugs, containers, stagnant ponds or unused swimmimg pools around your houses to take away the breeding site. Also keep checking these remain empty as it will only take one small rain shower to fill them again.

If you like ponds around your house make sure the water is moving and you put in some fish as these will eat the larvae and keep the problem managed to a beter level.

If you do all of the above and still have issues then investigate further within surrounding properties as many remain un-occupied and this often means ponds and pools become heavily infested.

Good luck and take care as this is a serious problem.

[marcusd]

Again it would be nice for them to tell us where most cases are contracted, in Thailand, and in Bangkok in particular. Not very useful otherwise.

I think this is them telling us enough information.. ALL PROVINCES... and this is very typical of health departments the world over not just Thailand to be VAGUE. Anyway ALL PROVINCES tells us that Dengue fever is now widespread and at dangerous levels so people SPRAY. YOU DO NOT WANT this illness.

[lavender19]

Just give every arriving passenger a small bottle of aeroguard once they clear immigration, problem solved.

You don't happen to hold shares in the company that makes aeroguard do you ?

Not at all. I just know the tropical strength works. Yes it contains DEET.

Out of curiosity, is it available in Chiang Mai?

David

Sketolene should be, it contains 15 % deet and there is another Thai one that contains 25% deet can not remember the name.All available in lotus

[pxlgirl]

what are the best precautions tips? There are several products like lotions, candles and whatnot, but what does really work?

[55Jay]

"The survey conducted by the Department of Disease Control on mosquito larva population in 190 districts found that over 70 percent of mosquito larvae originated from water containers in households."

I don't know about anyone else, but around my piece 'o paradise, like many areas in Thailand, there are large tracts of low lying agricultural ground or just undeveloped/low land, which holds shallow, stagnant water very nicely. I presume much of this is privately held land, so that may be counted as household standing water. At any rate, I can prevent standing water at my place all day long, but I'm surrounded by mozzie incubators on an industrial scale. It's SE Asia, fact of life and one of a few tradeoffs living here I reckon.

A micro-scale compared to vast Thailand, but one year where I lived in the Middle East, had a bad mozzie problem and we had no standing water laying around. Government, which was irritatingly trying to demonstrate they were responsible and responsive to the citizenry or, they actually cared, paid for big lorries to go around and spray white power in all municipal neighborhood areas. Mozzie problem over, guess it killed larvae too. Read here recently somebody had seen that once in their village, but the head man quit doing it, guess the money is better spent elsewhere.

I wouldn't propose anything so dramatic as action on the part of the Thai government. How to address this massive scale yet natural, cyclic problem? Maybe that's the problem, it's too big, they just can get their head around it, don't know where to start? Rather, perhaps, doing so would take a lot of money (ding ding ding!) and the large incubators, if that's true, are privately owned - so not the domain of government? Folding of arms and not taking responsibility seems easy here. Can we expect individual land owners to take action and spend 1 satang, even if ordered top down from BKK to muni offices? Probably not.

So I reckon every year, more news stories, facts and figures indicating a National "outbreak" is going on, the root cause of which is known, problem predicted to get worse, case load and deaths rising, establishment of a "war room" with flashing lights and people holding important looking clip boards I presume, but all we get is another government "survey" telling us the same as last year.

Last posted article directed public health offices to control the mozzie population, but my take away was you're on your own, wear repellent.

[super22k]

My Thai doctor told me if I have Dengue fever once this has an innoculation effect if I catch the disease again.

The second time is not so bad.

But I read a journal that said the second time is worse and you can be seriously ill.

So who do I believe?

[SunsetT]

what are the best precautions tips? There are several products like lotions, candles and whatnot, but what does really work?

There is a wide range of lotions and sprays available on the shelves of most supermarkets in Thailand, and probably some in 7/11 too. I have been using Thai lotions containing 12 or 13% or 15% DEET for 6 years in Thailand and they all work fine. I dont like using any sprays as u always breathe in some of the chemicals during application. I dont like breathing in the fumes from the burning coils either. DEET is safe on your skin but I dont want it in my lungs. I find that u do not need the higher concentrations (25% up) of DEET as they seem to always sell in the West.My favoured Thai brand is 'Soffell' floral. Mild pleasant odour that soon fades away,..and its really cheap. They also sell small sachets of lotion for 4/5/6 baht.

[HUAHIN62]

Noitom the girls didn't die due to DEET, please check the facts.

[phiah]

As having tried pretty much all the sprays on the market in Thailand and being a person who attracts mosquitos I´ve found the only one really keeping them away is Wild Lives Insect Block 95. Three times the price of the useless ones, well worth it and you don´t need a lot.

Observe! The no 95 is essential, there is also a no 28 from the same brand. It removes colour on leather, nailpolish and such. It´s very sticky, smells rather bad.........I still use it every day

[lahgon29]

My Thai doctor told me if I have Dengue fever once this has an innoculation effect if I catch the disease again.

The second time is not so bad.

But I read a journal that said the second time is worse and you can be seriously ill.

So who do I believe?

I had Dengue all last week. Now just living with the rash, which really hurts as well. Found out on Saturday after getting bloods done at Wattana Private, here in Udon. Doctor told me there are 4 type of Mossies carry it. I'm now innoculated from the one. The other 3 I'm still open to. And they can be worse than the first. Dengue is serious pain and fever. I don't want to go through it again. Funny thing is that I can't remember a mossie bite for weeks.

[phiah]

My Thai doctor told me if I have Dengue fever once this has an innoculation effect if I catch the disease again.

The second time is not so bad.

But I read a journal that said the second time is worse and you can be seriously ill.

So who do I believe?

As far as I know, there are several types,4?, if you get one you´ll be immune to that one.........if catching one of the others you could be in trouble.

[55Jay]

what are the best precautions tips? There are several products like lotions, candles and whatnot, but what does really work?

Mozzies LOVE me, I am a flashing buffet sign.

1. Agreed, nix standing water around your house/property - attempt to halt or reduce incubation of new generations.

2. I go around with a fully charged mozzie bat (sometimes I spray instead) and stir up them up in the heat of the day when they are more dormant. Areas such as my car park where FIL has all sorts of crap stored; my truck's engine radiator grille and wheel wells tend to hold a lot - basically any concealed place, nooks and crannies out of direct sunlight. The mozzie bat goes into overload I get so many at once, and after 15-20 minutes, have to recharge. I have noticed, maybe wantingly, they don't seem as thick at sunset/night after I do this mass kill exercise.

3. Screen windows and doors, but often, houses are left open air during the day thus -

4. We often keep a mozzie coil burning in the house during the day, and I always have one going near me any time I'm stationary - on computer/watching TV, etc. Works for me. I will also use repellent, esp if we plan to sit out side at sunset/at night + a burning coil.

5. Spray around the house, shrubs and plant/damp soil areas, preferably during the day to catch them dormant, especially if you plan to sit on the patio later or if you have guests over and want to sit outside for a few beers in the evening.

All this, but near the house, there is low lying land which holds water, so my efforts on the property and in/around the house, may be pissing into the wind but have to do something to at least keep the squadron at bay.

[muratremix]

If Thai people were just a little bit concerned with Mosquitoes (Thet don't get bite by them, very rare, mosquitoes are aftar Farang blood and smell!), it would be great. Somehow they don't care, they continue to leave water outside where mosquitoes can multiply by ten.

[nakhonandy]

If Thai people were just a little bit concerned with Mosquitoes (Thet don't get bite by them, very rare, mosquitoes are aftar Farang blood and smell!), it would be great. Somehow they don't care, they continue to leave water outside where mosquitoes can multiply by ten.

Not sure how you can state that Thais don't get bitten by Mosquitos, they certainly do, at least where we live.

Incidentally this article is referring to Thais that have caught the disease.

The problem is in Thailand there are always large areas of stagnant water (rice fields) a bit outside the house is hardly going to magnify the population by much is it?

[NanLaew]

My Thai doctor told me if I have Dengue fever once this has an innoculation effect if I catch the disease again.

The second time is not so bad.

But I read a journal that said the second time is worse and you can be seriously ill.

So who do I believe?

Your Thai doctor is totally wrong.

The journal article is partially incorrect.

Unlike Malaria, Dengue has several different varieties and having caught it once or even twice (with another variant) there is no auto-immunization from prior infections. Some varieties are worse than others but fatalities are more common in infants, children. In adults, fatalities are normally associated with other pre-existing medical conditions.

It is spread by a different A. aegypti mosquito that is active during daylight versus the anopheles mossie that carries malaria and is mostly active at night.

Edited March 18, 2013 by NanLaew

[NanLaew]

This is an epidemic proportion and "suddenly" announced. Scary. Yet another good reason to stay away from Thailand.

There was another government announcement about 2 months ago predicting that dengue would be a bigger problem this year. Sorry that you missed it.