BANGKOK, July 6 (TNA) – The Ministry of Public Health expressed its concern over the ongoing increase in dengue fever cases, with 23 fatalities and more than 27,000 patients reported since the beginning of this year, three times higher than last year.
Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, revealed the current situation of dengue fever, stating that the number of patients has significantly increased. From the first 25 weeks of this year, there have been 27,377 accumulated dengue fever cases, with an incidence rate of 41.37 per 100,000 population, and 23 deaths.
Compared to the same period last year, which saw 9,736 cases and an incidence rate of 17.46 per 100,000 population, the number of patients has tripled. Seven deaths were recorded.
Moreover, there is a trend of an increasing number of cases compared to the median value of the past five years, and both children and adults have been affected.
The permanent secretary also said that it is not entirely true that individuals who have previously contracted dengue fever will not experience severe symptoms if infected again. This is because dengue fever is caused by four different serotypes of the dengue virus, and each year, different serotypes may dominate. While the first infection may result in mild symptoms, subsequent infections, particularly with different serotypes, can lead to more severe symptoms.
The best approach is prevention by avoiding mosquito bites and eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. All health zones have been instructed to monitor and implement continuous disease surveillance and control measures, particularly in areas where dengue fever cases and fatalities have been reported, as well as in nearby areas, he said. (TNA)
