People warned of dengue fever as rainy season begins

BANGKOK, 20 May 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health has called on the public to take precautions against dengue fever, which is usually prevalent during the rainy season.

As the rainy season in Thailand is approaching, Permanent Secretary for Public Health Sopon Mekthon advised that people eradicate all stagnant waters around their homes as a way of preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs and keeping at bay mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue, Zika fever and Chikungunya.

According to statistics from the Bureau of Vector Borne Diseases, Ministry of Public Health, 17,000 people have been diagnosed with dengue fever since the start of the year and 14 of them have died. The majority of the patients are children aged 10-14 years and more than 42 percent are school students. Early symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, headache, loss of appetite, vomiting and stomach ache.

Dr Sopon stated that the best method to keep mosquitoes and their larvae away is to keep the house organized, dispose of garbage regularly, close garbage bins with lids and empty all outdoor containers of stagnant water. People in need of advice on protecting against dengue fever are welcome to contact the Department of Disease Control’s hotline at 1422.

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