The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 30) received notification from the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC) of an outbreak of dengue fever (DF) in Nansha district, Guangzhou.

Image/CIA
Image/CIA

According to the information from GDHFPC, the location of the DF outbreak is Dagang, Nansha District, Guangzhou. Forty-six cases of DF have been recorded in the area since July 11. All of the patients were mild cases and no serious or fatal cases have been reported so far. Anti-mosquito measures have also been undertaken in the area.

 “We are maintaining close liaison with the health authority of Guangdong to monitor the latest situation,” a spokesman of CHP said.

In Hong Kong, there have been 45 confirmed cases of DF in 2014, and they were all imported cases. Last year 103 cases of imported DF were reported to the CHP, with no local cases.

Dengue fever is an acute mosquito-borne infection caused by the dengue viruses.  The dengue viruses encompass 4 different serotypes, each of which can lead to dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).

Dengue fever is clinically characterized by sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and rash. The symptoms of first infection are usually mild. Once recovered, immunity to that serotype of dengue virus will develop but subsequent infections with other serotypes of dengue virus are more likely to result in DHF. DHF is a severe and potentially fatal complication of dengue fever.

Dengue fever is transmitted to humans through the bites of female Aedes mosquitoes. The incubation period ranges from 3 – 14 days, commonly 4 – 7 days.