A hospital in central Quảng Bình Province is overloaded with dengue fever patients. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Tý

KON TUM — The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum has recorded its first death due to dengue fever this year, the provincial Centre for Disease Control announced.

A 12-year-old patient, Nguyễn Nhật H., from Kon Tum City, was reported to show symptoms of high fever and tiredness since September 9.

He then had health check-ups at a local private clinic and many hospitals in Kon Tum and neighbouring Gia Lai Province.

However, the patient died on September 27.

So far this year, around 17 people have succumbed to the disease nationwide.

As of Monday, Kon Tum reported 1200 cases of dengue fever. Kon Tum City recorded the largest number of patients in the province. 

Vice director of the provincial Centre for Disease Control, Nguyễn Thị Vân, said unusual weather changes created conditions for mosquitoes to develop, causing difficulties for disease prevention and control.

The province’s health sector has encouraged local citizens to join campaigns to prevent dengue fever and increased the cleaning of surrounding environment and killing of mosquitoes to prevent further spreading of the disease.

The Ministry of Health has recently asked provincial and municipal health departments to ste up their efforts following increasing number of cases reported.

Mekong Delta Sóc Trăng Province on Thursday reported more than 1,300 cases of dengue fever in the province so far this year, up 33 per cent in comparison with the same period last year.

Central Quảng Bình province said the province has so far recorded more than 5,300 cases of dengue fever since the early year, a year-on-year increase of five times. The increasing number of dengue fever patients has caused many hospitals overload. — VNS