Rain brings warning over dengue fever

PHUKET: Now that the rainy season has arrived, the Phuket Public Health Office (PHO) has issued warnings about the increased risk of dengue fever. Normally, the number of cases of dengue fever rises during the rainy season, especially during June, July and August. To reduce the risk of contracting either dengue fever or malaria, the PHO recommends frequently changing the water in open water storage containers and keeping fish in pools. This stops mosquito larvae from developing. Like malaria, dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes. Dr Boonrieng Chuchaisangrat, chief of the PHO, described the early signs and symptoms of dengue as queasiness, stiffness, a red face and red skin on the neck, chest and body. Anyone showing these signs, he said, should see a doctor immediately. He warned, “Don’t buy medicine for yourself. Aspirin [for example] can make dengue fever more dangerous.” He also urged anyone living near camps housing illegal Burmese workers to contact the Provincial Health Office or a District Office so that they can carry out health checks to prevent the possible spread of disease. It is believed by many that Burmese workers bring dengue fever and malaria with them from Burma. In the first five months of this year, the Ministry of Public Health recorded 28,149 cases of dengue fever nationwide. Of these, 58 resulted in death. In Phuket over the same period, 55 cases were reported – 29 were in Muang District, 19 in Thalang and seven in Kathu. There were no deaths, and no cases have been reported in the main tourist areas on the west coast of Phuket.