A health staff sprays insect-killing chemical at a household (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has recorded three deaths caused by dengue fever in Districts 5 and 12 since the beginning of the year.
Talking to the press on March 16, deputy head of the municipal Health Department Nguyen Huu Hung said the preventive medicine body has examined and implemented precautionary measures at District 12, where two of the deaths took place.
The inspection team found Hiep Thanh ward in the district has many hot spots of mosquito lavas as many areas are littered with rubbish and many locals raise cattle or fowls, which are potential sources of dengue fever, he noted, adding that one fatality of dengue fever was in the ward.
The official ordered more effective communications campaigns and tighter sanitation monitoring at disease-hit localities, with heavy fines imposed on violators.
According to Le Hong Nga, head of the infectious disease control department at the municipal preventive medicine centre, Hiep Thanh ward has long been a hotbed of dengue fever and Zika virus infections.
Between October 2016 and February 2017, the locality recorded an average of three dengue fever cases each week, not to mention those who received treatment at private medical facilities.
Vice Chairwoman of the Hiep Thanh People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang said locals’ awareness on the prevention of the disease remains low, adding that they did not cooperate when public sanitation campaigns were carried out.-VNA
VNA
