A patient with dengue fever is treated at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Đan Phương

HCM CITY — The HCM City Centre for Disease Control has ordered schools to take preventive measures against dengue fever during the rainy season.

The centre late last month checked at-risk sites at 117 schools and discovered mosquito larvae breeding sites at eight schools.

Dr Lê Hồng Nga, head of the centre’s infectious disease prevention and control division, said many schools had not taken preventive measures such as removal of water containers.

As students will attend school until mid-July this year because of earlier closures, the risk of dengue fever outbreaks is high if preventive measures are not taken, Nga said at a recent meeting.

The number of dengue fever cases this year in the city has fallen by 72 per cent compared to the same period last year, she said.

The city also saw a drop of 70-90 per cent in infectious diseases such as hand-foot-mouth disease and measles.

Personal hygiene and social distancing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a decline in these infections, she said.

Nguyễn Hữu Hưng, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health, said that school leaders would be asked to strictly comply with regulations on prevention of diseases. They will be held responsible if mosquito larvae breeding sites continue to develop at their schools. — VNS