Thailand’s dengue fever cases spike

Thai Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew instructs provincial disease control committees to coordinate with health volunteers to look for possible mosquito nursing grounds and spray them with chemicals (Photo: Thai.news)

Bangkok (VNA) – The number of dengue patients in Thailand so far this year has reached 17,783, more than double the figure in last year’s corresponding period, Thai Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew has said.

The disease has claimed 25 lives in 16 provinces this year alone, he was quoted by local media as saying.

Cholnan said that he has instructed provincial disease control committees to coordinate with health volunteers to look for possible mosquito nursing grounds and spray them with chemicals. He also ordered community areas to be sprayed with mosquito-killing chemicals frequently.

Meanwhile, director-general of the Disease Control Department Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn said the ratio of dengue deaths was far higher than those from influenza and COVID-19, reaching 0.14 per 100 cases, compared to 0.01-0.02 deaths for every 100 influenza patients.

The Public Health Ministry has allocated 74.8 million THB (2.6 million USD) for distributing anti-mosquito sprays or lotions to dengue patients, he noted.

Thongchai emphasised that if people protect themselves from mosquito bites even for five days, they can save the ministry about 219 million THB in treatment costs./.