Vietnam: Dengue outbreak reported in Ho Chi Minh City

Event

Health officials in Vietnam have reported a dengue outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City. According to local sources, at least 6733 cases have been recorded as of mid-February, representing a nearly 250 percent increase over the same period in 2018.  Further spread of the disease is possible in the area over the coming weeks.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals in Ho Chi Minh City are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito netting or in an air-conditioned room - and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).