09 Aug 2018 | 01:31 AM UTC
Thailand: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide /update 3
Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide; 37,793 cases reported in 2018 as of July 30
Event
A nationwide dengue fever outbreak is ongoing in Thailand. A total of 37,793 cases, including 45 associated deaths, have been reported throughout the country's 77 provinces between January 1 and July 30. The most affected areas include Nakornpathom, Phuket, Phichit, Tak, and Krabi provinces. Officials have advised people to take precautions against mosquitoes and to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
Context
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms 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 on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).
