19 May 2018 | 09:54 PM UTC
Thailand: Over 10,000 cases of dengue fever recorded in 2018
Officials report that more than 10,000 cases of dengue fever nationwide in 2018 as of mid-May
Event
Health officials reported that as of mid-May, the number of recorded dengue cases across the country this year has reached 10,446, with 15 related deaths. Cases have been recorded in 77 provinces with Phuket, Krabi, and Nakornsrithamarat having the highest mortality rates.
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.
Advice
Individuals present in Thailand 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.).
