Dengue fever remains a concern in Thailand

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Dengue fever remains a concern this year

BANGKOK: -- Dengue fever remains a concern in Thailand as cases recorded during the past two months of this year has doubled cases in the same period last year.

According to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Sophon Mekthon, a total of 9,639 cases of dengue fever was recorded from 1 January to 1 March this year.

Three patients have died from the fever.

He said this year’s figure doubled the figure of the same period last year when there were only 4,783 cases.

Most cases were found in the Central Region, followed by the Northeast, the South, the North and Bangkok.

Although dengue fever could be infected at all age groups, but children at the ages of 5-10 years are most infected by the disease.

He then recommended that the best way to prevent dengue fever outbreak was to destroy the bleeding grounds of mosquitoes at homes and vicinities, use mosquito repellent, and to sleep in mosquito nets.

People having sudden, high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting should see doctor immediately.

Skin rash will appear two to five days after the onset of fever.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/153899


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-07

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2016 dengue patient number doubles last year

NONTHABURI, 7 March 2016 (NNT) – The number of dengue patients this year has doubled since last year, while the public urged to eliminate mosquito breeding spots on a weekly basis, says the MOPH.

The Ministry of Public Health’s (MOPH) Permanent-Secretary Sopon Mekthon has revealed a concerning number of dengue patients according to the Buerau of Epidemiology, showing the number of dengue patients recorded since 1 January to 1 March 2016, was at 9,639 persons with 3 fatalities. This figure is twice the number of the same period last year.

Most patients were found in the central, northeastern, southern, northern regions, and Bangkok respectively.

The general public have been asked to cooperated in destroying mosquitoes' breeding spots on a weekly basis. Other than Dengue, mosquitoes are carriers of the Zika virus and the Chikungunya disease.

The public are also advised to avoid being bitten by Mosquitoes by wearing mosquito repellent and sleep inside mosquito nets at night.

Dengue is a disease which can be found in people at all ages, mostly found in children aged 5-10 years. Indicating symptoms include high fever, sleep helplessly, headache, eye socket pain, lost of appetite, vomit, and stomach ache.

Patients with showing signs of the indicating symptoms and suffering from a continuous fever for a period longer than 2 days should seek immediate medical attention to prevent the dangers from acute conditions, which usually exhibits on the fourth day of disease. Dengue patients must not consume painkillers due to the irritation it causes to the stomach, and due to the risk of causing internal bleeding, which can be fatal.


-- NNT 2016-03-07