Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Hanoi is facing a high risk of anoutbreak of dengue fever with the number of cases in the city is on the rise,tripled compared to the same period last year.

Data from the Hanoi’s Centre for Disease Control showed that thecity recorded 308 new cases over the past week, bringing the total number ofpeople infected this year to 1,342.

The total caseload is three times higher than the same period lastyear, the centre said.

Cases have been mainly found in districts of Dong Da, Thuong Tin,Thanh Tri, Thanh Oai, Phu Xuyen, Hoang Mai and Ba Dinh.

Than Manh Hung, deputy head of Emergency Department of theNational Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said the hospital has treated manypatients with severe dengue fever.

Currently, the north region is in the peak period, especially inrainy weather, he said.

Hung said people should be vigilant for disease prevention becausethere is no vaccine for dengue fever and no specific treatment.

In addition to preventing the spread of the virus, patients shouldbe closely monitored, especially in the severe stage of the disease, usuallystarting from the fourth day onwards, he said.

At the period, the patients are susceptible to dengue shock, hesaid.

Many people confuse symptoms of influenza with dengue or denguefever with COVID-19 so they might be negligent with the complications, he said.

If people have any symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches, theyshould go to medical facilities to be examined and diagnosed so that if theycontract dengue fever, the doctor will monitor and treat them as soon aspossible, he said.

Disease prevention

According to a representative of the city’s Health Department, thedepartment will continue maintaining a task force to ensure that it is ready topromptly respond to developments that could occur in the city.

The department has also directed relevant units to strengthenmonitoring patients in the community and hospitals to promptly handle with thedisease, the department said.

Along with that, it has tightened the monitoring of areas wherecases are recorded to prevent the spread of the disease, the department said.

Campaigns on environmental sanitation and killing larvae in highrisk areas will be immediately implemented, the department said.

Dissemination of preventing dengue fever has been promoted so thatpeople can proactively implement prevention measures at home, the departmentsaid.

The Hanoi’s Centre for Disease Control has ordered local schoolsto make plans to fight against diseases, focusing on high-risk diseases such asdengue fever, COVID-19 and influenza.

Schools have been told to prepare facilities and medical equipmentto prevent the diseases according to regulations; and set up teams to killlarvae.

Teachers and students at the schools are recommended to activelyimplement environmental sanitation; practise personal hygiene measures such aswashing hands with soap and clean water, wearing masks, covering mouth whencoughing or sneezing, and not spitting indiscriminately.

The schools have to coordinate with local health centres toquickly handling any possible cases.

To prevent dengue fever, the Ministry of Health urges people tospend ten minutes a week to kill larvae and take preventive measures such asregularly washing water tanks and other water containers.

People need to sleep under mosquito nets even during the daytime,wear long-sleeved clothes, use mosquito sprays and mosquito repellent creams tokill mosquitoes and prevent bites.

In particular, people do not arbitrarily treat dengue fever athome./.