Public Health Ministry issues dengue fever warning

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Public Health Ministry issues dengue fever warning
By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation 2011-07-18

The Public Health Ministry is warning of a dengue fever outbreak after finding that more than 20,000 people have been hit with the disease over the six months and 13 of them have died.

Elderly people and children aged under one year old are most at risk of dengue fever infection, the ministry's permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said yesterday.
"People who have a high fever, fatigue, stomach ache, vomiting and no interest in food should undergo treatment," Paijit said.

The continued seasonal rainfall this year has increased the number of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus that causes Dengue Haemorrhagic fever.

Of particular concern are children aged less than 12 months and elderly people who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure who may go on to develop severe symptoms after the infection.

According to the Public Health Ministry's records, between January and June this year some 23,324 people have become infected with the dengue virus. Of this number, 13 have succumbed to the disease.

The record also shows that 52 per cent of all dengue fever cases are people aged between 10 and 24 years old.

About 647 cases are children aged under 1 year old while 190 cases are people aged over 65.

Dengue is caused by Aedes Aegypti, a common household mosquito.

"We found that over 80 percent of mortality from dengue fever occurs during July and August, which is the peak season for this disease," Paijit said.

Clinical Professor Siripen Kalayanarooj of the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health said the number of cases due to dengue infection has drastically increased among children aged under 1 year old and elderly people during the past few years.