Minister Pradit says dengue situation in Thailand improves

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Minister Pradit says dengue situation improves

BANGKOK, 21 October 2013 (NNT) – Dengue situation in the country has improved as the number of new infections decreased in the past week.

According to Public Health Minister Dr. Pradit Sintavanarong , judging from the number of new dengue infections reported last week, which stood below 2,000, the situation has improved nationwide, thanks to the cooler weather as mosquitoes prefer warm temperature climate despite the fact that they are cold-blooded. The minister expects the number of new infections to drop to as low as 1,000 nationwide by the end of October.

According to the statistics compiled between January 1st to October 15th, around 135,000 people came down with dengue infections, 126 of whom were killed by the deadly disease. Despite the improving condition, the minister still puts 10 provinces on alert for more infections. These provinces include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Sawan, Saraburi, Nonthaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Rayong, and Narathiwat.

As for Bangkok, more than 10,000 people have been infected by the disease so far this year, with 2 casualties. The district with the highest number of infections is Bang Kapi, followed by Suanluang, Chatuchak, and Phasi Charoen.


-- NNT 2013-10-21

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Thailand hosts the third International Conference on Dengue

BANGKOK, 21 October 2013 (NNT) – Thailand is hosting the third International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever to find changing factors influencing the Dengue spread and how to deal with new strains.

The conference, being hosted by the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health, was opened today and will be held until 23 October at the Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok. With the theme ‘Global Dengue: Challenges and Promises’, the conference brings together specialists from around the world, in a bid to enhance their collaboration and exchange of experiences in order to find ways to address Dengue-related problems such as the development of anti-dengue vaccines.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Public Health, Mr. Vichai Tienthavorn, said Dengue occurrences in the world have been altered by the change in climate which also influences some infectious diseases to re-emerge in developed countries, such as the significant increase of Aedes mosquitos in the United States. He said the conference is necessary to help the participants from around the world understand the pathology of Dengue fever for a more efficient control of the disease.

In Thailand, according to the Deputy Public Health Minister, there have been more than 135,000 Dengue cases as of 15 October this year. 126 of them died during the period.


-- NNT 2013-10-21