Si Sa Ket province declares dengue emergency

The northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, on the Cambodian border, has declared that the prevention and control of dengue fever required urgent attention throughout its area. Local health officials say they are now especially concerned about what will happen during the last three months of the annual wet season.

Governor Weerasak Wichitsaengsi signed a Memorandum of Understanding for dengue fever prevention and control along with the provincial public health chief Dr Worawuth Cheunta, all district chiefs and the Si Sa Ket Hospital.

At a Provincial Hall meeting it was announced that seven people had died from dengue so far in 2019 and that 1,664 people were now suffering from the mosquito-borne disease, making Si Sa Ket the country’s 12th worst-hit province.

They agreed the situation had worsened drastically, saying the monthly figures for those hospitalised had exploded from 81 cases in January to 618 in June and 457 in July.

The majority of those affected by this disease were students, especially those aged 10-14 years of age.

Si Sa Ket’s Dr Worawuth warned of a possible dengue fever outbreak during the remaining three months of Thailand’s rainy season, especially in August and September.

According to a Disease Control Department report on July 23, Thailand’s 2019 death toll from dengue stood at 65 and the total number affected was 53,699. The Department says the northeastern region had the highest number of patients at 24,197 cases, followed by the South (7,562 patients and a ratio of 80.70).

SOURCE: The Nation

Ten ways you can help avoid getting Dengue Fever HERE.