A doctor is taking care of a dengue patient (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)Director of the Preventive Medicine Departmentunder the Ministry of Health Tran Dac Phu said Vietnam has recorded an annual averageof 50,000-100,000 dengue fever cases in recent years, with 50-100 fatalities.
In the first seven months of 2017, the countryreported 58,888 cases. Of which, 50,496 were hospitalised, up 12.6 percentcompared to the same period of 2016 and 17 deaths, up from 14.
At present, 61 cities and provinces haverecorded dengue infections, mostly in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Binh Duong,Tra Vinh and Tay Ninh, he said.
Given the situation, the health ministry has sentseven inspection teams to hotspots, launched campaigns to kill mosquito larva andopened treatment training courses for health workers, he added.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien suggestedincreasing vigilance over diseases, including dengue fever, during and afterthe flood season.
The main priority now is raising publicawareness of dengue prevention and keeping the living environment clean, shesaid.
Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoescarrying the virus. Its symptoms include high fever, headaches and joint aches,which can be confused with symptoms of other diseases.
The disease has potentially dangerouscomplications such as shock, respiratory failure, coagulation, liver damage andaltered mental status, and can be fatal.
According to the World Health Organisation,dengue is spreading in many countries worldwide. Each year, worldwide, about 20million people contract dengue and some 500,000 are hospitalised.-VNA
VNA
