Water puddles are the breeding grounds of mosquitoes that carry diseases such as dengue, making the rainy season a peak period for the disease to spread. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has reported some 20,000 dengue cases with 17 deaths since the beginning of this year.
Dengue fever, along with other diseases with mosquitoes as the carriers, is typically found during the rainy season. The DDC said more cases of dengue will be found throughout this year, according to the epidemiological cycle.
Between 1 January and 24 August, 19,380 cases of dengue were reported. 17 patients succumbed to the disease. The number of infections is 2.8 times higher than the previous year.
Most of the cases reported during this period were children aged 5-14 years old, followed by young adults at 15-24 years old, and newborns.
Cases can be found in all regions of Thailand. Most cases are found in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai. Tak, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani.
The DDC is encouraging the general public to keep their houses and schools clear of water puddles, place lids on water containers, and remove garbage where mosquitoes could lay eggs. These practices would help protect them against dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases such as Chikungunya and Zika. (NNT)
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