BANGKOK, March 17 – Dengue fever killed 16 people, with 13,200 patients having been recorded in the first two months of this year across the country, according to the Public Health Ministry.
Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary of public health, said that a war room meeting to monitor the dengue fever outbreak in 2013 found that the mosquito control was not satisfactory.
The Bureau of Epidemiology reported that from Jan 1 – March 11, dengue fever patients were found in every province.
A total number of 13,200 patients was recorded, or about 1,000-1,500 infection per week on average.
About half of the total deaths were children under the age of 14 years and fatalities are four times higher than last year’s record.
The survey conducted by the Department of Disease Control on mosquito larva population in 190 districts found that over 70 percent of mosquito larvae originated from water containers in households.
Deaths were reported in nine provinces – the highest death toll of five in Songkhla, followed by two in Nakhon Si Thammarat and one case in each province of Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Pattani and Yala.
The permanent secretary ordered public health offices to control the mosquito population and people are advised to use mosquito repellents.
People, and especially children who, experience fever for three consecutive days should see a doctor immediately for diagnosis and, if infected with dengue fever, to receive proper treatment.
