At the talkshow, experts provide key insights and perspectives on the dengue fever situation in Việt Nam. — Photos courtesy of the organiser

HÀ NỘI — Experts have warned of erratic dengue surges across Việt Nam at a recent talk show titled 'Dengue Fever: Unpredictable Developments in Việt Nam'.

Given the impacts of climate change and various factors related to urbanisation, health experts said dengue fever is taking an increasingly unpredictable course in Việt Nam.

In the first five months of 2026 alone, the country recorded more than 50,000 cases, 2.5 times higher than the same period last year, with a corresponding increase in severe cases requiring hospitalisation. Consequently, the outbreak cycle tends to shorten, and the disease is affecting all age groups and regions.

Dengue fever is breaking all old patterns

Dengue fever, ranked by the WHO among the world's top 10 public health threats, saw global cases surge tenfold over the decade from 2010 to 2019.

In Việt Nam, the disease has spread nationwide. Many localities in the north that previously had no cases now report dengue fever, most notably during the 2022 outbreak, which sent hundreds of patients to hospitals across the northern provinces.

Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Việt Nam, speaks at the talkshow.

According to Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Việt Nam, three key factors driving this profound shift include: Climate change creating conditions for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to breed; rapid urbanisation with unsynchronised infrastructure in densely populated areas; and the increasing difficulty in forecasting the disease, causing the health system to face many challenges in preparation and proactive response.

From a management perspective, Dr Võ Hải Sơn, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Administration of Disease Prevention, the Ministry of Health, stated that the outbreak cycle has a tendency to shorten. The 2022 peak recorded 371,000 cases nationwide, and in subsequent years, the country has continued to record an average of roughly 150,000 cases annually.

Yet, according to Dr Sơn, it is noteworthy that the disease no longer follows old patterns. Specifically, in 2025, the number of cases increased again but did not decrease at the end of the year as usual - November and December remained at high levels.

As a result, the first five months of 2026 recorded over 50,000 cases, 2.5 times higher than the same period last year. Abnormal weather patterns, characterised by alternating hot, humid, and continuous rainfall since the beginning of the year, are the conditions creating an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed.

“More concerningly, the DENV-2 serotype is currently dominant, increasing the risk of many severe cases,” Dr Sơn said.

“Dengue fever prevention efforts will become increasingly difficult without determination and the synchronous implementation of many solutions to protect and care for people's health."

A significant change is that dengue fever is no longer just a disease of children - now, anyone, at any age, can be infected. Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Thanh Hùng, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Pediatric Association, said that if more than 10 years ago, 60 – 70 per cent of cases in the south were children under 15, now the incidence rate between children and people over 15 is almost equal. In other words, anyone in the family can contract dengue fever.

Science paves the way to the goal of 'Zero deaths from dengue fever'

Over the past half - century, the fight against dengue fever has mainly relied on vector control (killing mosquitoes, killing larvae, eliminating Aedes breeding sites) and epidemiological surveillance - this remains the foundation and the first line of defence.

Currently, several new prevention tools are emerging. According to Dr Angela Pratt, early warning systems are increasingly improving thanks to technology and artificial intelligence (AI), helping to forecast transmission trends more accurately. Along with that, vaccines are becoming a proactive preventive tool, helping to reduce the risk of infection and the risk of severe progression, thereby reducing the burden of treatment and mortality.

“There's a vaccine that's now registered in Việt Nam. A pilot will happen soon to try out rolling out that vaccine in a public health programme. I'm personally very excited to see the results of that pilot, because this is a very important new tool in the toolbox,” said Dr Pratt.

Dr Vo Hai Son, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Administration of Disease Prevention, under Vietnam Ministry of Health, speaks during the talkshow.

Dr Sơn added that with the support of international organisations and businesses, the health sector is researching the implementation of a pilot dengue vaccination programme in some localities to serve as a basis for evaluation before considering inclusion in the expanded immunisation programme.

In parallel, the health sector continues to promote mosquito control, communication, improve treatment capacity and gradually apply environmental and weather data for early epidemic warning. The key point is: new tools do not replace but supplement existing measures in a comprehensive prevention strategy.

WHO has set the global target to achieve zero preventable deaths from dengue fever by 2030. According to Dr Pratt, the key is to bridge the gap between information, awareness, and action: messages need to be clear, easy to understand, actionable, and accompanied by a capable health system.

The event was organised by the Sức khỏe & Đời sống (Health & Life) Newspaper in collaboration with the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine and Takeda Viet Nam Pharmaceuticals Limited on the occasion of the ASEAN Dengue Day (June 15). — VNS