Myanmar: Dengue fever cases in Yangon continue to increase

Event

Health officials in the Yangon region reported on Thursday, September 7, that the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever continues to rise, far exceeding the number of cases in 2016. Between January and August of this year, 4800 cases and 37 fatalities were reported. According to officials, only 2000 cases and 19 fatalities were reported in the Yangon region throughout all of 2016. Health officials attribute the rise in cases to population growth in urban areas and increases in the number of containers of standing water, where disease spreading mosquitoes breed.

Context

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly 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, enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging. Health experts blame a lack of sanitation and unhygienic water storage for these most recent dengue fever outbreaks.

Advice

Individuals in Myanmar are advised to consume only bottled or purified water, avoid foods that cannot be thoroughly cooked, peeled, or disinfected, and to protect themselves against mosquitoes (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito-netting or in an air conditioned room). Dengue-carrying mosquitoes will bite both during the day and night. Those presenting symptoms should seek medical advice. ​