Da Nang warns of dengue outbreaks in wet season

DA NANG — (VNS) The central city has seen 97 cases of dengue fever since early this year, the city's Preventive Medicine Centre director Ton That Thanh told Viet Nam News today.

He confirmed that patients in 40 communes and precincts of the three biggest districts (Hai Chau, Hoa Vang and Cam Le) had contracted the disease since January.

He warned that the number of patients would increase between now and November.

"Dengue fever outbreaks usually occur in September and November when the rainy season has begun in the central region. We have raised awareness of disease prevention among local people and cleaned water containers as well as drainage systems," Thanh said.

"The centre has made efforts to prevent diseases from spreading in the wet season," he said.

Thanh also added that the city saw 4,600 cases of dengue in 2010, although this figure was reduced to about 90 last year.

"We have gotten the disease under control by spraying chemicals in the city's worst-affected areas and encouraging local people to clean their neighborhoods every Saturday."

The city has started the prevention programme recommended by the Ministry of Health on curbing outbreaks of avian influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease and dengue fever.

The city health department has provided free soap to households to curb hand-foot-and-mouth disease, cholera and diarrhoea since July.

According to the health ministry, the country has seen 43,220 cases of dengue fever, of which 35 were fatal, 80,000 cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and four cases of avian influenza type A-H5N1. – VNS