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Dengue kills three in southern provinces
By XAYXANA LEUKAI
(Latest Update May 16, 2008)
Health officials are warning the public to make sure their homes and gardens are free of stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, after the mosquito-borne dengue fever virus claimed three lives in Champassak and Saravan provinces this year.
The National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology issued the warning in a bid to reduce the incidence of dengue fever in the wet season.
The centre's director, Dr Phengta Vongphachan, said if mosquito populations could be kept low it would reduce the number of people who fall ill with the dengue virus.
“Every year, health officials throughout the country take special precautions against the virus, in a bid to reduce sickness,” Dr Phengta said.
They campaign in the media, especially on how to eradicate mosquito breeding sites, such as by cutting down long grass and shrubs in residential areas.
So far this year there have been 581 cases of dengue fever including three deaths – two in Champassak and one in Saravan province.
Dr Phengta said the number of people falling ill with dengue fever was increasing gradually every week. He attributed this to increasing rainfall and higher incidence of the virus in neighbouring countries.
Because of the growing prevalence of dengue fever, health officials and communities need to take steps to ward off the virus, especially in areas where its incidence is traditionally high.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in clear stagnant water, which often lies in containers such as tins, jars and tyres. They also lay eggs on the leaves and branches of banana trees.
The eggs hatch within 10-14 days and can survive drought for one year.
Dr Phengta advised people to be vigilant in destroying any source of larvae. This includes clearing the bush from around their homes, ensuring that any old containers are turned upside down, and regularly changing water in vases.
He also advised people to sweep all corners of their rooms and keep their homes tidy, so that mosquitoes would not be able to hide in dark places.
People who have problems destroying potential mosquito breeding sites can get an insecticide powder called Abate, free of charge, which destroys lar vae in water. Abate is distributed in all dispensaries and district hospitals throughout the country.
“If anyone becomes ill at this time of the year, they should suspect dengue fever, espe cially in a community where the virus is known to have occurred already,” Dr Phengta said.
According to the Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology Centre in Vientiane , Laos identified the first case of dengue fever in Vientiane in 1977. It spread in the capital significantly from 1985 and 1987 and has become a serious health concern.
The risk is very real in parts of Southeast Asia. You have got to be careful.
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Bokeo reports first dengue fever cases
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Bokeo provincial public health officials are urging the public to take special care after the province identified its first known cases of dengue fever.
Director of the province's Public Health Department Dr Phengsy Viengsavanh said yesterday it was the first time dengue fever was known to have occurred in Tonpheung district and in the province as a whole.
From May 21 to June 25 the provincial malaria centre recorded 49 cases of dengue fever in Viengsavan, Phonsavan and Tonpheung villages in Tonpheung district.
“The patients are being cared for by doctors in Tongpheung district hospital and their condition is better,” Head of the centre Mr Vilasin Sinthalaphone said yesterday.
Mr Vilasin said he thought those who had fallen ill might have picked up the virus in Chiang Rai province, Thailand , where they had been working and fell ill after returning home. Last year, this province suffered an outbreak of dengue fever.
District and provincial health officials are now working to control the virus. They are spraying chemicals to kill adult mosquitoes in 10 target villages, and distributing Abate pills to put in water tanks to kill larvae.
They are also advising people to make sure there are no thick bushes around their homes and to sleep in insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
“The problem is we have no experience in fighting this virus. We have to speed up our efforts and stress the urgency of the campaign to make sure we reach communities that lack information about the virus,” Mr Vilasin said.
Health officials are also offering advice to people in Paktha and Huayxay districts, which are close to Chiang Rai province.
Mr Vilasin advised the public to ensure old tins or tyres were turned upside down and to change water in vases regularly.
According to the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, there have been more than 400 cases of dengue fever in Laos this year, with 15 fatalities.
Scientists identified the first case of dengue fever in 1779 in Brazil . It has since spread throughout tropical zones, especially in America and Asia .
According to the Centre for Mariology, Parasitology and Entomology in Vientiane , Laos identified the first case of dengue fever in Vientiane in 1977.
In the same year, dengue fever was put on the precaution list of the Epidemiology Unit of the Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology to raise awareness on disease prevention.
It spread in Vientiane between 1985 and 1987 and became a serious health concern, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
Dengue fever is a seasonal disease that causes fatalities every year in the wet season. Because of this, Mr Vilasin said, if people fall ill at this time of the year they should suspect the dengue fever virus may be the cause of their illness.
By XAYXANA LEUKAI
(Latest Update July 2, 2008)
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