Dastardly Dengue Deaths

[Guest wowpow]

Dengue outbreak kills 17 nationwide - The Nation

 

An outbreak of dengue fever has killed 17 people and the number of patients infected with the disease nationwide this year has risen to over 20,000, the Public Health Ministry said Saturday. Dr Vichai Stimai, director of the Bureau of Vectorborne Disease, said yesterday the number of denguefever patients from January to the end of June had risen to 21,251 people, 36percent higher than the same period last year.

 

"The situation this year is more serious than last year because of the earlier arrival of the rainy season which brought forward the hatching period of the dengue mosquito," he said.

Not only Thailand, said Vichai, but also neighbouring countries - Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia - have faced the same situation this year.

 

He urged the public to remove the breeding grounds of denguecarrying mosquitoes by covering all water containers in households. Mosquito spray was also recommended. He said the Public Health Ministry had ordered health officials to work with local authorities to prevent the further spread or any outbreak.

 

Dr Nattawut Prasertsiripong, chief of the Surat Thani provincial health office, said the disease had claimed two lives in the province. He recommended people who have fever for two to seven days, severe headache, muscle pains, and pain behind the eyes to visit a doctor as these are symptoms of dengue. He warned those with the symptoms not to take Aspirin, but rather the pain killer Paracetamol.

 

The Nation

[Gaybutton]

Dengue fever is no joke. While it does not seem to occur in the major tourist cities, it is still a possibility. The best recommendation I can make is that if you are in Thailand during mosquito season and start feeling ill, then don't assume it's nothing serious. Get to a doctor and have it checked. The odds of it being anything serious are quite remote, but it's better to be inconvenienced for a few hours then to end up going back home in a box.

[Guest wowpow]

Dengue is carried by a daytime mosquito which likes an urban environment. I know of several people who have caught it in Pattaya, over the years and one person had it twice. None of them had any idea where or when they were infected.

 

Dengue fever, a flu-like illness sometimes complicated by hemorrhage or shock, is highly prevalent in Thailand. The number of cases usually peaks during the rainy season (ranging from May through November), when mosquitoes proliferate. As of June 2007, more than 11,000 dengue cases had been reported nationwide for the year. The number of dengue cases appeared to be rising earlier than usual, due to early, heavy rains. In May 2007, a dengue outbreak was reported from Trat province, 400 km southeast of Bangkok on the Cambodian border, and in the southernmost provinces along the Malaysian border. In August 2006, the provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit and Uthai Thani were declared dengue "alert zones" by the Ministry of Public Health because of a large number of cases (more than a thousand) being reported from these provinces (see Thailand Ministry of Public Health). A dengue outbreak was reported from Surin Province in July 2006 and from Ampur Mae Sareang in June 2006. Earlier in the year, a dengue outbreak was reported from Chaiyaphum Province. In April 2002, a unusually large number of cases was reported among travelers to southern Thailand, especially the island of Koh Pha Ngan. Dengue is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite primarily in the daytime and favor densely populated areas, though they also inhabit rural environments. No vaccine is available at this time. Insect protection measures are strongly advised, as outlined below.

 

Insect protection

Wear long sleeves, long pants, hats and shoes (rather than sandals). For rural and forested areas, boots are preferable, with pants tucked in, to prevent tick bites. Apply insect repellents containing 20-35% DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) or 20% picaridin (Bayrepel) to exposed skin (but not to the eyes, mouth, or open wounds). DEET may also be applied to clothing. Products with a lower concentration of either repellent need to be reapplied more frequently. Products with a higher concentration of DEET carry an increased risk of neurologic toxicity, especially in children, without any additional benefit. Do not use either DEET or picaridin on children less than two years of age. For additional protection, apply permethrin-containing compounds to clothing, shoes, and bed nets. Don't sleep with the window open unless there is a screen. If sleeping outdoors or in an accomodation that allows entry of mosquitoes, use a bed net, preferably impregnated with insect repellent, with edges tucked in under the mattress. The mesh size should be less than 1.5 mm. If the sleeping area is not otherwise protected, use a mosquito coil, which fills the room with insecticide through the night. In rural or forested areas, perform a thorough tick check at the end of each day with the assistance of a friend or a full-length mirror. Ticks should be removed with tweezers, grasping the tick by the head. Many tick-borne illnesses can be prevented by prompt tick removal.

 

http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations...a/thailand.html