Bangkok braces for severe outbreak of three diseases
Bangkok’s health office predicts a severe outbreak of three diseases, with high infection rates, and plans to increase monitoring for an additional 12 diseases. Preparations are underway to care for patients, protect against infections, and secure treatment drugs and vaccines.
The Health Department of Bangkok predicted a significant outbreak of three diseases in 2024. The illnesses include the Omicron variant of Covid-19, influenza, and dengue fever. The influenza outbreak is typically expected to start in May, and vaccination once a year can prevent it.
The vaccination can be administered alongside the Covid vaccine. Dengue fever, which had a high infection rate last year, is expected to continue this year. While dengue can occur throughout the year, the highest incidence is during the rainy season from August to November. The majority of fatalities are adults, primarily due to delayed treatment and second-time infections, which are more severe than first-time infections and often occur in individuals with pre-existing conditions.
For these three diseases, the health department will monitor another 12 illnesses. These include food poisoning or diarrhoea, often found in school clusters; tuberculosis, with more than 10,000 new cases per year in Bangkok; hand, foot, and mouth disease, common in nursery schools and daycare centres during the school term start; and HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 867 new cases and 1,073 fatalities in 2024.
Other diseases to be monitored include syphilis, abscess, scrub typhus, chikungunya, Zika virus, monkeypox, rabies, and conjunctivitis.
The health office has prepared all 69 Bangkok health service centres to handle the anticipated outbreaks and monitor the 12 diseases. Measures include securing infection protection equipment, disease treatment drugs, vaccines, and disease control investigation teams.
The public is advised to maintain good health to prevent infection from various diseases by eating freshly cooked food, avoiding old, leftover food, getting enough rest, and wearing masks to prevent respiratory diseases, reported KhaoSod.
