Thailand: Dengue fever outbreak in northeast

Event

Health officials have reported an ongoing dengue fever outbreak in the northeast of the country. A total of 488 cases have been registered in this area since the beginning of 2018 (as of June 5). The impacted provinces are Buri Ram (56 cases), Chaiyaphum (64 cases), Nakhi Ratchasima (233 cases), and Surin (135 cases).

Dengue fever outbreaks are also ongoing in other parts of the country, including Phuket, Krabi, and Nakornsrithamarat; more than 10,000 cases were reported nationwide in the first five months of the year.

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 (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).