Vietnam: Dengue fever outbreak in Hanoi

Event

Health officials in Hanoi have reported a 45 percent increase in the number of dengue fever cases recorded in the city compared to the first quarter of 2016. As of April 2017, 567 cases were reported in 173 communes, wards, and towns across 26 districts. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, 20,947 dengue fever cases have been reported nationwide.

Health officials have ramped up protective measures in the city including spraying pesticides and draining stagnant bodies of water. On June 6, the health department of Hanoi will launch a campaign to clean the environment in response to ASEAN Dengue Day.

Context

Dengue fever outbreaks occur regularly, with most cases of the mosquito-borne disease found in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms of classic dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in the region are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).