DENGUE/DHF UPDATE 2009 (31)
In this update:
1. India (Kerala)
2. Sri Lanka
3. Myanmar (Kachin)
4. Myanmar (Yangon)
5. Viet Nam
6. Mexico (Hidalgo)
******
1. India (Kerala)
Date: Wed 29 July 2009
Source: Asianetindia.com [edited]
<http://www.asianetindia.com/
Lakhs [100s of 1000s] of people in 5 districts of Kerala, especially
the northern regions, are suffering from viral fever mainly caused
[transmitted] by mosquito bite during monsoon season. [A lakh is a
unit in the Indian numbering system equal to 100 000. - Mod.TY]
Nearly, 10 people have died so far in these regions. According to the
health reports, more than 1.5 lakh [150 000] people in 5 regions are
affected in just few days and the government is taking all necessary
steps to check the spread of the disease. Special camps have been
arranged and extra doctors have been deputed to these regions. The
severely affected districts of Kerala are Malappuram, Kozhikode,
Wayand, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
Many cases of dengue fever, chikungunya, and hepatitis have also been reported.
The symptoms differ as per the region and the doctors say that this
can be attributed as mosquito borne communicable diseases or viral
fever with severe body pain. Dr Abdul Samad, superintendent of
District Hospital in Malapuram, said "after monsoon the number of
people affected from fever is fast increasing especially in June and
July. Compared to last month [June 2009], a 100 times increase has
been reported, it is not a usual viral fever, the afflicted are
showing symptoms of heavy pain and swelling with rashes. We can
attribute that it's chikungunya and like viral diseases, which are
spreading in these regions," he said.
Till 28 Jul [2009], the number of patients had crossed 11 lakh [1 100
000] starting from January this year [2009]. Hundreds of people
afflicted with fever and acute joint pains, belong mostly from hilly
hamlets and tribal areas throng in huge numbers to nearby hospitals
for faster relief. Patients' complain of headache and joint pain and
have not experienced such fever earlier.
******
2. Sri Lanka
Date: Fri 31 Jul 2009
Source: Xinhua News Agency [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/
The number of dengue deaths has risen to 224 while more than 20 576
cases have been reported in Sri Lanka so far, the Epidemiological
Unit of the Ministry Health said on Friday [31 Jul 2009]. The
Epidemiological Unit said in its latest statistics that of the 20 576
cases the highest number of patients was reported in June [2009]
totaling 7005. This represents a sharp increase as 4156 dengue cases
and 85 deaths were reported for the whole year of 2008. Health
officials said that the majority of these cases have been reported
from areas like Gampaha, Kegalle, Kandy, and Colombo.
Government officials said the dengue virus has hit countrywide this
year [2009], affecting mostly the youth, many of them being students.
As part of the efforts to control dengue fever, 2 dengue specialists
from Cuba were invited to Sri Lanka to help health officials to
handle the fast spreading dengue epidemic in the island. The rapidly
rise in the level of the epidemic has forced the health authorities
to carry out extensive public awareness campaign to eradicate the
mosquito based epidemic. Households have been warned to keep the
environment free of mosquitoes. Those who allow the mosquitoes to
breed by allowing stagnating water face prosecution with a special
hotline being made available for public information.
[Editor: Li Shuncheng]
******
3. Myanmar (Kachin)
Date: Mon 27 Jul 2009
Source: The Irrawaddy [edited]
<http://www.irrawaddy.org/
An outbreak of dengue fever in Myitkyina, capital of Burma's
[Myanmar's] Kachin State, has claimed several lives, according to
local residents. Myitkyina's public hospital wards are full of dengue
patients, and many residents are seeking medical attention in private
clinics, local sources say. Most of the patients are children and
elderly people. "The situation is terrible," said one local resident.
Local hospitals and clinics are overburdened by the increasing number
of cases, and [a resident] said many patients waited in vain all day
for treatment. The Kachin News Group reported that more than 120
children are being treated in a local hospital known as the "Children's Ward."
Hospital and clinic staff told The Irrawaddy they had no authority to
give out information on the outbreak, which began in mid-June [2009].
No official death toll has been reported.
The Kachin News Group reported that a 16-year-old schoolgirl was
among the recent victims. She died on 23 Jul [2009].
Dengue fever outbreaks occur every year in Kachin State, but the
current epidemic is the worst ever.
[Byline: Saw Yan Naing]
******
4. Myanmar (Yangon)
Date: Fri 24 Jul 2009
Source: Mizzima News [edited]
<http://www.mizzima.com/news/
There were over 3700 dengue fever patients annually in Rangoon
[Yangon] Division alone, of whom about 30 patients died, statistics
released by the Burmese [Myanmar] Ministry of Health said.
The statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health said 18 568
patients were afflicted with dengue fever in 5 years from 2004 to
2009, of whom 151 died. The rate of affliction by the virus and death
was the highest in the monsoon season: June, July, and August, the
statistics said.
The highest number of dengue patients recorded was in 2005. There
were 5621 cases, and 40 died. In 2007, the number of cases dropped to
4948, but 54 died from dengue, the highest death rate during these 5
years [2004 to 2009].
The statistics said there were 838 dengue patients between [1 Jan to
23 Jun 2009], of whom 6 died.
Among 45 townships in Rangoon [Yangon] Division, the densely
populated and suburban areas such as Thaketa, Thingangyun, Tamwe,
Hlinetharyar, Hlegu, Taikgyi, and Shwepyithar have the highest rate
of dengue fever cases annually.
This year [2009] too, the townships in the outskirts have the highest
incidence of dengue in Rangoon [Yangon] Division, indicating that the
healthcare system in these townships is poor.
The statistics have been updated till [23 Jun 2009], but the highest
incidence is in June [2009] during the 6-month period, with 349 cases
and 4 deaths reported.
Some have cast their doubts on the statistics compiled by the
ministry as they think the figure does not reflect the reality.
A doctor from the Health Ministry admitted that there are flaws and
weaknesses in compiling the dengue fever statistics based on local
dispensary units, which are incomplete and conceal some facts and figures.
Though the highest incidence is yet to be collected for this year
[2009], it will not be less than the 2008 rate of incidence and
deaths, he said.
The incidence of dengue fever cases in Rangoon [Yangon] from 2004
till date [June 2009]:
Year: cases reported / deaths
2004: 2865 / 8
2005: 5621 / 40
2006: 1530 / 18
2007: 4948 / 54
2008: 3604 / 31
2009 (till [23 Jun]): 838 / 6
[Byline: Myo Thein]
******
5. Viet Nam
Date: Fri 31 Jul 2009
Source: Viet Nam News (VNS) [edited]
<http://vietnamnews.vnagency.
The central Department of Preventive Medicine and Environment has
asked provincial health departments and preventive medicine centres
nationwide to spray chemicals at least twice a year to kill mosquito
larvae for the prevention of dengue fever.
Nguyen Thuy Hoa of the Central Epidemic Hygiene Institute said there
would be a pilot project to spray chemicals in lakes and ponds to
prevent the development of mosquito larvae. [Lakes and ponds may be
breeding sites for various mosquitoes, but not for _Aedes aegypti_ or
_Ae. albopictus_, the dengue virus vectors. - Mod.TY]
Germ warfare
------------
The institute had been carrying out research to use _Wolbachia_, a
bacterium that infects arthropods to shorten the life spans of
mosquitoes, he said. Nam said Viet Nam has successfully bred and
multiplied _Wolbachia_ and the department would choose some areas
where mosquito populations live to release the bacteria.
According to a department report, 36 046 dengue cases were reported
nation-wide up to 19 Jul [2009], a 11.7 percent increase over the
same period last year [2008], mostly in the southern region.
Nam explained that since most water in the southern region is
brackish, residents use containers to store water, an important
condition for the development of mosquitoes.
******
6. Mexico (Hidalgo)
Date: Thu 30 Jul 2009
Source: El Universal [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]
<http://www.eluniversal.com.
Authorities of the Secretariat of Health of Hidalgo [state], detected
an outbreak of at least 100 cases of classical dengue in the
municipality of San Felipe Orizatlan where during the last week, the
inhabitants of the region have been stricken by the disease; [the
virus] is transmitted by the mosquito _Aedes aegypti_.
The report resulted in the mobilization of medical brigades to the
area who are alo collaborating on joint projects with the authorities
of San Luis Potosi, the locale neighboring this region.
The cumulative total dengue cases in the Huasteca zone of Hidalgo
during the 1st semester of 2009 is 203 cases. The year 2008 ended
with 609 cases.
The health services became concerned after the Huejutla health
jurisdiction warned of the outbreak and even threatened to cancel the
festival of the Huastecas to be held there from 6-9 Aug 2009.
A call was made to maintain cleanup actions to be able to reverse the
dengue outbreak.
The municipalities of Huejutla and Atlapexco have also been affected by dengue.
[Byline: Dinorath Mota]
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