Dengue fever risks increase in Mekong Delta
The number of dengue infections has risen significantly in the Mekong Delta, particularly in Can Tho, Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Ca Mau and Tien Giang.
A medical professional helps a resident take necessary measures to prevent dengue fever at home (Source: VNA)Dong Thap province has the highest number of dengue cases in the delta, with over 1,000 infected cases, including 72 serious cases and two deaths, with high rates in Cao Lanh city and the districts of Lap Vo, Cao Lanh and Thanh Binh.
Dr. Duong An Han, director of the province’s Preventive Medicine Centre, said the province had an average of about 50 dengue fever cases per week.
“People do not care about taking preventive measures. In some cases, patients visit doctors too late thus the infection becomes serious.” he said.
Dr. Huynh Minh Truc, director of Can Tho Preventive Medicine Centre, said the city had seen nearly 600 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year.
Can Tho’s Children Hospital has conducted 853 in-patient dengue fever treatments from patients both inside and outside the province, and about 2,600 out-patient cases, an increase of 10 percent compared to the same period last year.
Dengue fever often occurs in children under aged 15, with 84 percent of total infected cases in Can Tho and surrounding areas.
In Ben Tre province, more than 700 dengue fever cases have been detected since the beginning of the year, a drop of 20 percent against the same period last year.
However, more dengue infections are spreading through all districts in the province, with one death occurring in Giong Trom district’s Tan Thanh commune.
Ca Mau’s Women and Children Hospital said the number of children hospitalised for dengue fever rose against the previous month, with 379 in-patient cases.
The number of dengue cases increased by 148 percent in May and 405 percent this month, compared to the same period last year.
Dr. Tran Thien Ly, head of the Ca Mau’s Woman and Children Hospital’s Intensive Care and Anti-poison Department, said that dengue infections over the last two weeks were increasing in number but also in seriousness.
The province has seen three kinds of four types of dengue viruses, with 83.7 percent being the D1 type, according to Tien Giang province’s Preventive Medicine Centre.
Dr. Nguyen Trung Nghia, deputy director of Can Tho vity’s Department of Health, said the city People’s Committee and the department had implemented many plans to prevent and control the disease, organising campaigns to kill mosquito larvae in the city.
However, the number of dengue cases is still increasing.
Dong Thap’s Preventive Medicine Centre carried out a second campaign in June and a third in August, killing larvae and spraying insecticides to kill mosquitoes.
Infected patients can be infected again and again, even more dangerous than the previous times.
Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Minister of Health, said that dengue-fever preventive vaccines had not been used in the community as the price was high and residents doubted the efficacy. Thus, taking preventive measures is necessary.
In rural areas, people have a habit of using jugs or tanks to hold water, which creates favorable conditions for mosquito larvae.
The Ministry of Health has recommended that people cover all water tanks, release fish into water tanks to kill mosquito larvae, replace water in flower vases and remove waste materials.
People should also sleep under mosquito nets in un-airconditioned rooms, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, co-operate with the health sector in chemical spraying and preventive methods, and immediately visit hospitals if they have a high temperature.-VNA
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