Dengue Alert In 4 Provinces

[udon]

Dengue alert in 4 provinces

Four northern provinces have been declared dengue fever alert zones after almost 1,200 residents were infected with the contagious disease in the past six months, the Public Health Ministry announced yesterday.

Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, and Uthai Thani were hardest-hit by dengue fever outbreaks, which usually hit the country in the wet season, said public health inspector-general Siriporn Kanjana. Since January, a total of 1,187 cases have been reported in the four provinces, and two were fatal, she said.

The rate of infection in the "red zone" was 44 per 100,000 people, while the national infection rate stood at only 29 per 100,000, said Dr Siriporn."The unusually high number of dengue fever patients in the four northern provinces has worried us. Stringent surveillance measures must be employed to stop the rising number of patients and casualties," she said.

Dengue fever has killed 20 people since January, according to the ministry.

BP Monday July 24, 2006