Dong Thap, June 15 (VNA) – Over 5,000 residents in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap attended a national-level meeting in response to the fourth ASEAN Dengue Day on June 15.

Taking centre stage at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long called on the entire society to eliminate mosquito larva and keep their living environment clean, as Vietnam is looking to reduce the rates of dengue infections and to keep the disease under control.

The same day, a similar meeting also took place in the southern province of Vinh Long.

According to Tran Dac Phu, head of the Preventive Health Department, so far this year more than 10,200 dengue cases have been recorded in 42 provinces and cities. The disease has claimed seven lives since early this year.

Dengue fever is one of the most dangerous mosquito-transmitted diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 50-100 million people around the globe suffer and about 24,000 die from the disease annually.

ASEAN, its 10 member countries and the WHO named June 15 as ASEAN Dengue Day with the intention of raising public awareness and strengthening regional coordination in the fight against the disease.-VNA