Vietnam: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide /update 1

Event

Health officials in Vietnam continue to record elevated case numbers of dengue fever. According to local sources, at least 124,751 cases and 15 associated deaths have been reported through the end of July. 

Further spread of the disease is possible 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 Vietnam are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - 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.).