Thailand saw 10 additional dengue-related fatalities and 7,000 dengue fever cases during the past week, according to data released by Thai health officials. The cumulative total of dengue cases through Dec. 21 in the Kingdom is now at 138,794 cases, up from 131,647 cases one week ago.
The number of deaths have increased to 139.
Petchaburi province in central Thailand bordering Myanmar to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east reports the highest morbidity in the country at 594.70 / 100,000 population, followed by Rayong, Rachaburi, Uthaithani and Bangkok.
In fact, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration recently met to come up with dengue preventive measures for the heavily populated area. Bangkok has reported 25,282 dengue fever cases and 3 deaths this year.
Public awareness of dengue has been boosted with the highly publicized case of Thai actor, Thrisadee “Por” Sahawong‘s serious bout with the mosquito borne illness. The Bangkok Post reported earlier this week:
Thrisadee is suffering from a severe bout of the mosquito-borne viral infection and required resuscitation multiple times. He fought internal bleeding and eventually had his left foot amputated. Even though his condition has shown slight improvement, he still remains under the watchful eyes of medical specialists.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has rapidly spread in all regions of WHO in recent years. Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, A. albopictus. The disease is widespread throughout the tropics, with local variations in risk influenced by rainfall, temperature and unplanned rapid urbanization.
Severe dengue (also known as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever) was first recognized in the 1950s during dengue epidemics in the Philippines and Thailand. Today, severe dengue affects most Asian and Latin American countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in these regions.
Related:
- Philippines FDA approves dengue vaccine, 1st in Asia
- Taiwan dengue outbreak slowing, Chemical control to be reduced
- Hawaii dengue outbreak up to 180, Milolii Beach Park closed
Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Outbreak News Today and the Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch
Follow @bactiman63
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